The World Investment Report series provides the latest data and analysis foreign direct investment (FDI) and other activities of transnational corporations, as well as the policies to regulate them at the national and international levels. It aims to analyse the cross-border activities of translational corporations and related policy measures with a view to helping policymakers formulate appropriate policy responses. The special theme of the 2016 Report examines the ownership of multinational enterprises and the control of affiliates, analyzing related key and emerging policy issues. These include entry conditions for foreign investors and treatment of established investment, as well as investment promotion and facilitation. Bringing together an innovative analysis of complex multinational ownership structures and relevant policy practices, the focus of the report is on the effectiveness of existing policies for distinguishing between domestic and foreign companies in a globalized economy. The report provides policymakers a new framework for handling ownership issues in 21st century investment policymaking.