Browse by: "2021"

At the global level, civic space is narrowing and thus efforts to protect and promote it are more important than ever. The OECD defines Civic Space as the set of legal, policy, institutional, and practical conditions necessary for non-governmental actors to access information, express themselves, associate, organise, and participate in public life. This document presents the Civic Space Scan of Finland, which was undertaken at the request of the Finnish government and is the first OECD report of its kind. OECD Civic Space Scans in particular assess how governments protect and promote civic space in each national context and propose ways to strengthen existing frameworks and practices. The Scan assesses four key dimensions of civic space: civic freedoms and rights, media freedoms and digital rights, the enabling environment for civil society organisations, and civic participation in policy and decision making. Each respective chapter of the report contains actionable recommendations for the Government of Finland. As part of the scan process, a citizens’ panel – also overseen by the OECD – was held in February 2021 and generated a wide range of recommendations for the government from a representative microcosm of Finnish society.

Au Maroc, les moins de 25 ans représentaient 43% de la population en 2019 et d’ici 2030, la part des 15-24 ans représentera l’un des principaux groupes d’âges dans le pays. La jeunesse a donc un rôle primordial à jouer dans le développement social, économique, culturel et politique du pays. Inclure les jeunes dans la vie publique apparaît d’autant plus essentiel alors que les études de l’OCDE montrent que les jeunes sont les plus affectés par les conséquences socio-économiques de la crise sanitaire du COVID-19, et continueront à l’être sur le long-terme. Cette publication dresse un état des lieux de la gouvernance des affaires de la jeunesse au Maroc en mettant l’accent sur les 5 axes suivants: 1) le cadre normatif de la jeunesse, 2) l’approche gouvernementale intégrée dans l’élaboration des politiques de jeunesse, 3) le cadre institutionnel et la coordination multisectorielle, 4) l’inclusion d’une « dimension » jeunesse dans la formulation des politiques publiques et 5) les défis et opportunités en matière de participation des jeunes.

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the OECD review of SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in the Slovak Republic. It examines how to address the challenges of stimulating more productive entrepreneurship, supporting enterprise scale-up, stimulating SME exports and global value chain participation, increasing SME innovation and innovative entrepreneurship, and making entrepreneurship more inclusive across the population. The report examines SME and entrepreneurship performance and the business environment for SMEs and entrepreneurship in the Slovak Republic, giving benchmarks against other OECD countries. The report also takes a close look at arrangements to ensure policy leadership, co-ordination and consultation in this field. It examines the government support programmes across areas including SME and entrepreneurship financing, supporting innovation, building SME workforce skills and public procurement. It also examines the east-west divide in SME and entrepreneurship activity and their supporting conditions in the Slovak Republic and how to strengthen regional entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country. Further chapters focus on SME digitalisation and the promotion of self-employment and social entrepreneurship to strengthen the labour market attachment of the Slovak Republic's Roma community.

Andalusia is the largest mining producer in Spain, the second-largest copper producer in the EU and a leader in marble and gypsum production. The region benefits from two distinct mining subsectors, each with a rich network of suppliers that are relevant for local development: the metallic mining sector (e.g. copper and zinc), which accounts for most of the regional mining production, and the non-metallic sector (ornamental rocks, aggregates and industrial minerals), which is highly dispersed across the territory. The regional mining value chain has the potential to leverage the increasing global and EU demand for sustainable raw materials and thus become a frontrunner in leading technologies and circular processes for environmentally sustainable mining. This study identifies how Andalusia can build on its strengths and address current and future challenges to improve regional productivity and well-being while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and assisting EU climate goals.

Le Scan de l'OCDE Voix citoyenne en Tunisie : La communication au service d'une administration ouverte au niveau local analyse les structures, compétences et applications de la communication publique au sein de 11 municipalités tunisiennes. Il formule une série de recommandations pour renforcer la communication publique au sein de ces municipalités et orienter son utilisation vers le soutien aux principes du gouvernement ouvert que sont la transparence, l'intégrité, la redevabilité et la participation citoyenne.

Le présent rapport rassemble des données factuelles et recense différentes expériences internationales ainsi que divers éclairages sur l'action publique concernant les politiques du logement. L'accent est mis sur trois dimensions principales : inclusivité, efficience et durabilité. De fait, l’inclusivité de l’accès au logement est devenu un enjeu de plus en plus pressant dans de nombreux pays de l’OCDE, en grande partie sous l’effet de la hausse des coûts du logement due à une offre insuffisante pour répondre à la demande, particulièrement dans les bassins d’emploi en milieu urbain. Les contraintes géographiques peuvent être invoquées, mais dans de nombreuses villes, la réglementation, notamment les dispositions en matière d'occupation des sols et d’aménagement du territoire, pèsent aussi sur l’offre. Parallèlement, certaines dispositions régissant les relations entre locataires et propriétaires peuvent constituer un frein au développement des marchés locatifs, ce qui pousse les loyers à la hausse. En outre, la transition vers une économie bas carbone représente un défi majeur pour un secteur qui, au niveau mondial, représente 17 % des émissions de CO₂ et 37 % des émissions de particules fines. Or, près de deux tiers des pays de la planète n’ont pas encore adopté de codes d’efficacité énergétique obligatoires pour les bâtiments. Il est essentiel d’anticiper, car les logements ont une durée de vie très longue. On trouvera dans le présent rapport des options étayées sur des données probantes permettant d’envisager une action publique concertée pour relever ces défis, en tenant compte des complémentarités existantes et arbitrages nécessaires entre les différents objectifs des politiques du logement. Cet ouvrage fait partie intégrante de la boîte à outils de l’OCDE sur le logement, qui comprend un tableau de bord interactif d'indicateurs du logement et des aperçus par pays.

The report brings together evidence, international experience and policy insights for the design of housing policies. Emphasis is placed on three broad aspects: inclusiveness, efficiency and sustainability. Inclusive access to housing has become increasingly challenging in many OECD countries due to a large extent to rising housing costs, which reflects the failure of housing supply to meet demand, particularly in jobs-rich urban areas. Geographical constraints play a role, but in many cities regulations, including on land-use and zoning provisions, also constrain supply. At the same time, some regulations on tenant-landlord relations can discourage the development of rental markets, pushing up rents. Moreover, the transition to a low-carbon economy poses challenges for a sector that accounts for 17% of CO₂ emissions and 37% of fine particulate matter emissions globally. Almost two-thirds of countries worldwide still lack mandatory building energy codes. Frontloading efforts is critical as dwellings have a very long lifespan. The report lays out evidence-based options for concerted policy action to address these challenges, while recognising complementarities and trade-offs amond the different objectives of housing policies. The report is part of the OECD Housing Tookit, which includes an interactive online dashboard of housing indicators and country snapshots.

Das OECD-Handbuch Integrität im öffentlichen Leben gibt staatlichen Stellen, Unternehmen und Zivilgesellschaft konkrete Hilfestellungen zur Umsetzung der gleichnamigen OECD-Empfehlung. Das Handbuch erklärt, was die dreizehn Grundsätze der Empfehlung zu Integrität im öffentlichen Leben in der Praxis bedeuten, und zeigt Herausforderungen auf, die sich bei ihrer Umsetzung stellen. Es gibt Orientierungshilfen für die Zusammenarbeit zwischen den verschiedenen staatlichen Stellen und Ebenen. Um in Staat und Gesellschaft eine Kultur der Integrität zu schaffen, bedarf es eines leistungsorientierten Personalmanagements und einer offenen Organisationskultur. Das Handbuch erläutert die zentralen Voraussetzungen hierfür. Zudem klärt es die Rolle, die dem Staat gegenüber Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft sowie den Bürger*innen als Wegweiser und Garant der Werte öffentlicher Integrität zukommt. Darüber hinaus erläutert es, wie der Prozess des Risikomanagements genutzt werden kann, um Integritätsrisiken einzuschätzen und einzudämmen, und wie über das Rechtsdurchsetzungssystem effektiv Rechenschaft für Integritätsverletzungen eingefordert werden kann.

Gender equality and environmental goals are mutually reinforcing, with slow progress on environmental actions affecting the achievement of gender equality, and vice versa. Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires targeted and coherent actions. However, complementarities and trade-offs between gender equality and environmental sustainability are scarcely documented within the SDG framework. Based on the SDG framework, this report provides an overview of the gender-environment nexus, looking into data and evidence gaps, economic and well-being benefits, and governance and justice aspects. It examines nine environment-related SDGs (2, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 and 15) through a gender-environment lens, using available data, case studies, surveys and other evidence. It shows that women around the world are disproportionately affected by climate change, deforestation, land degradation, desertification, growing water scarcity and inadequate sanitation, with gender inequalities further exacerbated by COVID-19. The report concludes that gender-responsiveness in areas such as land, water, energy and transport management, amongst others, would allow for more sustainable and inclusive economic development, and increased well-being for all. Recognising the multiple dimensions of and interactions between gender equality and the environment, it proposes an integrated policy framework, taking into account both inclusive growth and environmental considerations at local, national and international levels.

This edition of the OECD Sovereign Borrowing Outlook reviews developments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for government borrowing needs, funding conditions and funding strategies in the OECD area. It discusses the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on sovereign refinancing risk, and how to identify, measure and mitigate refinancing risk in light of country experiences. It then examines debt issuance trends for government securities in emerging market and developing economies in recent years, and presents novel insights on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on issuance conditions in these economies.

Lobbying, as a way to influence and inform governments, has been part of democracy for at least two centuries, and remains a legitimate tool for influencing public policies. However, it carries risks of undue influence. Lobbying in the 21^st century has also become increasingly complex, including new tools for influencing government, such as social media, and a wide range of actors, such as NGOs, think tanks and foreign governments. This report takes stock of the progress that countries have made in implementing the OECD Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying. It reflects on new challenges and risks related to the many ways special interest groups attempt to influence public policies, and reviews tools adopted by governments to effectively safeguard impartiality and fairness in the public decision-making process.

This publication examines how to strengthen the scope and effectiveness of entrepreneurship policies for women. It examines both dedicated measures for women and ensuring that mainstream policies for all entrepreneurs are appropriate for women. Evidence is offered on the gender gap in entrepreneurship and its causes. At the heart of the report are 27 policy insight notes by leading international experts on the role of public policy in facilitating entrepreneurship by women and how policies can be strengthened. They highlight many long‑standing issues related to the scope and effectiveness of women’s entrepreneurship policies – many of which have been exacerbated by the COVID‑19 pandemic – and point the way to more effective policy. Issues addressed include fostering a gender‑sensitive entrepreneurship culture, building entrepreneurship skills for women, improving women’s access to financial capital, supporting networks for women entrepreneurs and creating supportive regulatory environments. Issues in the design and delivery of policy support are also addressed. The report was prepared by the OECD in collaboration with members of the Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy Research Project (Global WEP), a network of established researchers from over 30 counties.

As “market referees”, regulators contribute to the delivery of essential public utilities. Their organisational culture, behaviour and governance are important factors in how regulators, and the sectors they oversee, perform. The OECD Performance Assessment Framework for Economic Regulators (PAFER) looks at the institutions, processes and practices that can create an organisational culture of performance and results. The report uses PAFER to assess elements linked to both the internal and external governance of Portugal’s Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE). The review acknowledges the well-respected status of ERSE within the institutional framework, analyses the key drivers of its performance, and identifies a number of challenges and opportunities to help the regulator prepare for the future, including in the context of deep market transformation and the COVID-19 crisis.

Como “árbitros do mercado”, os reguladores contribuem para a prestação de serviços públicos essenciais. A sua cultura organizacional, comportamento e governação são fatores importantes no desempenho dos reguladores e dos setores que supervisionam. O Quadro de Avaliação do Desempenho para os Reguladores Económicos (QADRE) da OCDE analisa as instituições, processos e práticas que podem criar uma cultura organizacional baseada no desempenho e em resultados. Este relatório utiliza esta metodologia para avaliar elementos ligados tanto à governação interna como à externa da Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos (ERSE) de Portugal. A avaliação reconhece o estatuto da ERSE, amplamente respeitado pelos stakeholders, analisa os principais impulsionadores do seu desempenho e identifica uma série de desafios e oportunidades para ajudar o regulador a preparar-se para o futuro. A profunda transformação do mercado, a descarbonização do setor e a crise provocada pela COVID-19 enquadram os desafios que se perspetivam para esta entidade.

Public trust is a cornerstone of the Finnish administrative and political model, it has also been a key element of Finland's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Preserving and strengthening the Finnish trust capital will be of essence for facing trade-offs and challenges ahead, particularly on the recovery phase following the pandemic. Through the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods this study examines the key determinants of trust in government, the local government and the public administration in Finland. Overall, it finds that responsiveness of public services and reliability of policies are key determinants of trust in institutions in Finland.

El camino hacia el desarrollo sostenible atañe a toda la sociedad y requiere la interacción del sector público con la ciudadanía, el sector privado y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Con este objetivo en mente, en 2014 el Gobierno de Nuevo León (México) estableció el Consejo Nuevo León para la Planeación Estratégica, con el fin, entre otros, de elaborar un Plan Estratégico 2015-2030. El presente estudio examina el sistema de monitoreo y evaluación de Nuevo León para su Plan Estratégico, cómo herramientas esenciales para lograr objetivos a largo plazo y obtener resultados. Asimismo, analiza la función del Consejo en el asesoramiento sobre políticas públicas. El estudio se basa en experiencias internacionales de promoción del desarrollo sostenible por la vía de la planeación a largo plazo, así como en prácticas de monitoreo y la evaluación de prioridades de políticas públicas mediante procesos incluyentes y participativos. Las recomendaciones de este estudio tienen como objeto propiciar un enfoque de gobernanza pública basado en la evidencia, para, en última instancia, ayudar a Nuevo León a brindar mejores resultados a los ciudadanos, allanando el camino hacia un desarrollo inclusivo y sostenible.