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This Best Practice Guide (BPG) was developed to support the implementation of the OECD Recommendation of the Council Concerning Access and Protection of Proprietary Rights to Non-Clinical Health, Safety and Environmental Data and Information on Chemicals. This Recommendation aims to protect both the public and the data owners by keeping a balance between the access of the public to chemical safety data and the protection of the proprietary rights associated with these results. This BPG provides a collection of existing good approaches by governments and industry for disclosing health, safety and environmental data while protecting their proprietary rights.
Nuclear energy is an important source of low-carbon electricity and thus plays a significant role in avoiding carbon emissions. It has the potential to decarbonise the global energy sector even further by also providing heat for industrial applications and residential heating, which both continue to run mainly on fossil fuels. More than 65 nuclear reactors around the world (about 15% of the total) with decades of experience demonstrate on a daily basis the feasibility of providing non-electric applications of nuclear energy such as district heating, desalination or other forms of process heat.
In order to further reduce carbon emissions, the share of nuclear reactors used for cogeneration needs to be expanded. However, until recently the economic competitiveness of thermal energy produced by nuclear power plants has been a challenge. Not accounting for climate change impacts, heat produced by gas- or coal-fired power plants has frequently been cheaper. Yet, as fossil fuel prices rise and carbon costs are increasingly accounted for, the economics of nuclear cogeneration begin to look more favourable. A good understanding of the technical realities and economics of nuclear cogeneration, including its implications for electricity and energy systems, is essential to take advantage of this changed environment. This NEA report provides a thorough overview of nuclear cogeneration, with a view to helping energy decisionmakers and interested experts in assessing the costs and benefits of having nuclear energy provide both low-carbon electricity and low-carbon heat.
Laws and regulations affect the daily lives of businesses and citizens. It is important that they are designed in a way that takes account of their social, environmental and business impacts and ensures they remain relevant in today’s fast-changing context. The second edition of the Better Regulation Practices across the European Union report analyses recent developments and current practices for improving the quality of laws and regulations across all 27 EU Member States and the European Union. Using the OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance, the report systematically assesses the use of evidence-based tools and stakeholder participation in the design and review of both domestic and EU laws and regulations, and provides a detailed assessment of the application of the proportionality principle. The report presents good regulatory practices and highlights areas that should receive further attention and investment.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) regularly conducts in-depth peer reviews of the energy policies of its member countries. This process supports energy policy development and encourages the exchange of international best practices and experiences to help drive secure, affordable and clean energy transitions.Belgium’s energy and climate policies push for energy transition through expanding renewable electricity generation and electrifying energy demand, especially for transport. Policies focus on maintaining affordable access to energy with the double aim of protecting vulnerable consumers and ensuring industrial competitiveness. Belgium has made notable progress on deploying offshore wind and increasing the share of electric vehicles. However, fossil fuels still dominate the country’s energy mix, a dependence that is expected to increase. All sectors have considerable work ahead of them to meet Belgium’s targets for increasing the share of renewables, lowering energy demand and reducing emissions.The IEA provides a range of energy policy recommendations in this report to help Belgium smoothly manage the transition to an efficient and flexible carbon-neutral energy system.
Ovo izvješće ocjenjuje hrvatski pravni i politički okvir za borbu protiv transnacionalnog podmićivanja na temelju kriterija koji se primjenjuju na zemlje koje traže pristup Konvenciji OECD-a o borbi protiv podmićivanja stranih javnih dužnosnika u međunarodnim poslovnim transakcijama. Izvješće analizira hrvatsko kazneno zakonodavstvo i sankcije koje se primjenjuju na fizičke i pravne osobe koje počine kazneno djelo podmićivanja. Također se ispituje hrvatski uspjeh u istrazi i procesuiranju korupcijskih kaznenih djela te cjelokupni okvir provedbe zakona. Uz to se ispituju pravila o međunarodnoj suradnji, kao što su uzajamna pravna pomoć i izručenje, te porezno nepriznavanje odbitka mita. Za svako područje analize izvješće identificira područja za poboljšanje i daje preporuke.
Education systems can build on school-led micro-innovations during the pandemic to develop more equitable learning. Empowering teachers to be autonomous, actively engaged in designing learning environments, and knowledgeable and dynamic in using multi-modal technology can encourage more peer-to-peer collaboration in schools and enrich pedagogy. This will be crucial in addressing the learning needs of disadvantaged students and boosting science proficiency with the goal of societal equity.
Ten years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, many lessons have been learnt that have helped improve preparedness for nuclear emergencies and awareness of the global risks that such accidents can entail. This includes a number of long-lasting, multidimensional impacts on health(including mental health and psychosocial support), the economy, and the environment. Recovery from a nuclear or radiological accident is a long, complex and resource-intensive process. To facilitate efficient recovery, it is important to establish processes and procedures during the preparedness phase to activate the resources required and to involve the relevant stakeholders at all levels. This report addresses the need for a harmonised approach towards efficient recovery management from nuclear or radiological accidents, which aims to assist countries to develop their own national plans and procedures for post-accident recovery preparedness in a harmonised manner, through the introduction of a cyclical approach.
Rural populations in South East Europe are a key socio-demographic group, with more than twice as many people (41%) living in rural areas compared to OECD countries (19%). This report discusses the importance of addressing the financial literacy needs of rural populations in the region and provides a comparative perspective of the financial literacy and inclusion levels of rural populations, good practice examples and potential relevant measures for consideration by domestic policy makers.
This publication examines the role of border regions in shaping patterns of violence since the end of the 1990s in North and West Africa. Using the innovative OECD Spatial Conflict Dynamics indicator (SCDi), the report looks at the growing relationship between political violence and borderlands at the regional level, by analysing more than 170 000 violent events between January 1997 and June 2021 and through the exploration of case studies in the Central and Eastern Sahel. Violence in border regions is both more intense in terms of the number of victims and more diffuse geographically than ever before. This report combines quantitative data on the location of violent events and victims, their mapping over time and space, and an analysis of the actors in conflict to answer three crucial questions i) Are borderlands more violent than other spaces? ii) Has the intensity of violence in border regions increased over time? iii) Are some borderlands more violent than others? The growing importance and complexity of transnational conflicts and transnational violent groups in North and West Africa calls for a more place-based analysis in order to create better tailored and more flexible policy options.
In the transition towards a non-polluting, resource efficient industry, greater consideration of value chains shows potential to deliver greater overall environmental benefit than less integrated approaches that focus on individual stages, such as installation or sectoral emissions. Actions taken at the design and manufacturing, or other product life phases, can influence environmental impacts at other stages such as material processing, and waste recycling. The overall life-cycle impacts need to be accounted for at the outset. This report assesses how value chain approaches are/should be incorporated in BAT determinations and related environmental regulatory and policy concepts to accelerate progress toward identifying practices that more effectively consider an industry’s entire value chain to reduce overall environmental impacts as well as individual manufacturing sites within a given sector. This is the fifth in a series of reports developed as part of the OECD’s BAT project.
Reliable and high-quality connectivity is fundamental for the digital transformation. Furthermore, the COVID-19 health emergency has shown that access to high-quality broadband services at affordable prices, across different territories is essential to ensure that economic and social activities can continue in an increasingly remote manner. However, important disparities in terms of connectivity persist in G20 countries and especially within countries between different types of regions. Overcoming the territorial divide is essential to ensure that no region and its inhabitants are left behind, regardless of where they live. This report offers a roadmap to policy makers to reduce the digital divides experienced by people living in different places within countries. While this is a key policy goal, the reduction of regional disparities needs to be accompanied with sufficiently high levels of broadband speeds across regions for people to be able to fully benefit from the economic opportunities and services brought about by digitalization.
This profile provides a concise and policy-relevant overview of health and the health system in Bulgaria as part of the broader series of the State of Health in the EU country profiles. It provides a short synthesis of: the health status in the country; the determinants of health, focussing on behavioural risk factors; the organisation of the health system; and the effectiveness, accessibility and resilience of the health system. This edition has a special focus on the impact of COVID‑19.
This profile is the joint work of the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, in co-operation with the European Commission.
This profile provides a concise and policy-relevant overview of health and the health system in Belgium as part of the broader series of the State of Health in the EU country profiles. It provides a short synthesis of: the health status in the country; the determinants of health, focussing on behavioural risk factors; the organisation of the health system; and the effectiveness, accessibility and resilience of the health system. This edition has a special focus on the impact of COVID‑19.
This profile is the joint work of the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, in co-operation with the European Commission.
Widespread voluntary tax compliance plays a significant role in countries’ efforts to raise the revenues necessary to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this process, governments are increasingly reaching out to taxpayers – current and future – to teach, communicate and assist them in order to foster a “culture of compliance” based on rights and responsibilities, in which citizens see paying taxes as an integral aspect of their relationship with their government. The emphasis placed by governments on taxpayer education and assistance helps bridge the gap between tax administrations and citizens, playing a key role – when properly implemented – in transforming tax culture.
Building on previous OECD analysis, this report aims to help tax revenue authorities in designing and implementing taxpayer education initiatives. It examines 140 initiatives under implementation in 59 developed and developing countries, offering a classification of different approaches to taxpayer education, and identifying common challenges and solutions. More generally, this report contributes to the OECD’s broader work on tax morale and seeks to encourage further research, debates and initiatives, particularly in developing countries, to better understand and ultimately strengthen tax morale and the tax compliance of taxpayers.
Understanding the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is important for safe and timely decommissioning of the reactors. This objective, together with the development of better computer codes for analysis of severe accidents, was the aim of the benchmark study conducted under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. Through the diversity of the modelling codes and approaches, and the use of parametric studies, it has been possible to identify the more likely scenarios that can fit with the limited data available from the accident. The insights gained from the project will help guide research into severe accident behaviour, improve severe accident computer codes, develop accident mitigation and response at nuclear power plants, support regulatory oversight related to severe accidents, and inform policies on the development and deployment of nuclear technology.
Bildung auf einen Blick – OECD-Indikatoren ist die maßgebliche Quelle für Informationen zum Stand der Bildung weltweit. Die Publikation bietet Daten zu den Strukturen, der Finanzierung und der Leistungsfähigkeit der Bildungssysteme der einzelnen OECD-Länder sowie einer Reihe von Partnerländern. Mehr als 100 Abbildungen und Tabellen in der Veröffentlichung selbst – sowie Links zu wesentlich mehr Daten in der OECD-Bildungsdatenbank – liefern zentrale Informationen zum Output der Bildungseinrichtungen, zu den Auswirkungen des Lernens in den einzelnen Ländern, zu Bildungszugang, Bildungsbeteiligung und Bildungs- verlauf, zu den in Bildung investierten Finanzressourcen sowie zu den Lehrkräften, dem Lernumfeld und der Organisation der Schulen.
Bildung auf einen Blick 2021 legt u. a. einen Schwerpunkt auf das Thema Gerechtigkeit. Es wird untersucht, welchen Einfluss Faktoren wie Geschlecht, sozioökonomischer Status, Geburtsland und regionale Lage auf den Fortschritt durch Bildung und die zugehörigen Lern- und Arbeitsmarktergebnisse nehmen. Ein eigenes Kapitel befasst sich mit dem Unterziel 4.5 von SDG 4 über Bildungsgerechtigkeit, in dem eine Beurteilung vorgenommen wird, an welchem Punkt die OECD- und Partnerländer bei der Bereitstellung eines gleichberechtigten Zugangs zu hochwertiger Bildung in allen Bildungsbereichen stehen. Zwei neue Indikatoren zu den Mechanismen und Formeln für die Zuweisung von öffentlichen Mitteln an Schulen und zur Fluktuationsrate von Lehrkräften runden die diesjährige Ausgabe ab.
In dit document wordt beschreven hoe het DAC Network on Development Evaluation (DAC-netwerk voor ontwikkelingsevaluatie, afgekort EvalNet) van de OESO de definities en het gebruik van de OESO DAC-evaluatiecriteria heeft herzien in 2018-2019. Het document bevat aangepaste definities voor relevantie, doeltreffendheid, efficiëntie, impact en duurzaamheid en de definitie van een nieuw criterium, namelijk coherentie. In het document wordt beschreven hoe de criteria op doordachte wijze moeten worden gebruikt en moeten worden aangepast aan de context van de interventie en de behoeften van de bedoelde gebruikers. Deze herziene definities en gebruiksbeginselen zijn het resultaat van een wereldwijde consultatie over de criteria en een heroverweging van de wijze waarop ze bij de evaluatie en daarbuiten worden gebruikt. Na de consultatie hebben leden van EvalNet en externe evaluatiedeskundigen de concepten diepgaand besproken en verschillende ontwerpen beoordeeld. De aangepaste definities zijn duidelijker en zullen een meer rigoureuze, genuanceerde analyse mogelijk maken, onder meer van gelijkwaardigheidskwesties en -synergiën, in overeenstemming met de huidige beleidsprioriteiten. Deze update pakt ook mogelijke verwarring aan, door een inleiding over het beoogde doel van de criteria en van de leidende gebruiksbeginselen toe te voegen. Een meer gedetailleerde Engelstalige leidraad voor de toepassing van de criteria is in 2021 beschikbaar gekomen.
Over the last few years, social and emotional skills have been rising on the education policy agenda and in the public debate. Policy makers and education practitioners are seeking ways to complement the focus on academic learning, with attention to social and emotional skill development. Social and emotional skills are a subset of an individual’s abilities, attributes and characteristics important for individual success and social functioning. Together, they encompass a comprehensive set of skills essential for students to be able to succeed at school, at work and fully participate in society as active citizens.
The benefits of developing children's social-emotional skills go beyond cognitive development and academic outcomes; they are also important drivers of mental health and labour market prospects. The ability of citizens to adapt, be resourceful, respect and work well with others, and to take personal and collective responsibility is increasingly becoming the hallmark of a well-functioning society. The OECD's Survey of Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) is one of the first international efforts to collect data from students, parents and teachers on the social and emotional skills of students at ages 10 and 15. This report presents the first results from this survey. It describes students' social and emotional skills and how they relate to individual, family, and school characteristics. It also examines broader policy and socio-economic contexts related to these skills, and sheds light on ways to help education leaders and policy makers monitor and foster students’ social and emotional skills.
This report examines how big data from mobile phones and other sources can help to forecast travel demand. It identifies the strengths and potential use-cases for big data in transport modelling and mobility analysis. It also examines potential biases, commercial sensitivities and threats to privacy. The report presents approaches to resolve such issues and offers recommendations for governance arrangements that make data sharing easier.