OECD Regional Outlook 2011
Building Resilient Regions for Stronger Economies

The OECD Regional Outlook 2011 provides an overview of the main developments in performance among OECD regions and the challenges for regional policy after the crisis. The first two chapters present fresh analysis of regional growth and labour-market trends, exploring their implications for policy. This is followed by three chapters offering focused analyses of key policy issues. The first, and most immediate, concerns the state of sub-national government finances in the wake of the crisis and its implications for managing public investment, in particular, during a period of austerity. The next two chapters are concerned with the potential contribution of regions and regional policies to addressing the longer-term challenges of innovation and green growth. Part 3 of the Outlook presents a "policy forum", a wide-ranging debate on the role of regional policy today involving experts and officials from within and outside the OECD. Finally, the Outlook includes individual country pages providing detailed quantitative and qualitative information on regional performance, institutions and policy settings in OECD members.
Also available in: French
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Chapter 3. Dealing with Sub-National Finances under Strain
This chapter discusses the impact of the crisis on the finances of sub-national governments, a crucial but often under-appreciated aspect of the current fiscal environment. These are major challenges to be addressed by both national and regional policies. At issue are both fiscal sustainability, which may be jeopardised if sub-national financial strains are not addressed, and the strength of the current recovery, which will depend in part on the extent to which increasingly limited public investment resources are managed efficiently and in ways that promote growth.
Also available in: French
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Click to download PDF - 727.05KBPDF
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Click to Read online and shareREAD