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This report, published by the OECD's International Futures Programme in co-operation with the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre in Australia, aims to stimulate informed debate about the main integration issues facing the Asia-Pacific region in the decades ahead. It examines such issues as how the region compares to other regions of the world in terms of economic and political integration; regional co-operation on trade, investment and environment; and security and transportation concerns. The book concludes with Mike Moore's "Reflections on Asia Pacific Integration".
Regional Integration in the Union for the Mediterranean: Progress Report monitors major trends and evolutions of integration in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The Report examines five domains of regional integration, namely trade integration, financial integration, infrastructure integration, movement of people, as well as research and higher education. It presents an original analysis of the patterns and challenges of integration in the Euro-Mediterranean region, which highlights the interdependence of the areas examined – e.g. how to increase regional trade without affordable transport connectivity? The Report offers new insights, based on specific quantitative and qualitative performance indicators that are monitored over time. Almost 100 graphs and tables in the report cover data for the 42 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean and, when relevant, for partners of the region. The Report includes key takeaways and policy recommendations on how to foster regional integration in each of the five domains.
Deepening economic integration via regional co-operation has emerged as a key priority in the reform strategies of most developing economies over the past decade. This is evidenced by the explosive growth in bilateral and regional trading agreements in which they now participate. Regional aid for trade can help developing countries spur regional economic integration, enhance competitiveness, and plug into regional production networks.
Based on a rich set of experiences regarding regional aid for trade projects and programmes, the study finds that regional aid for trade offers great potential as a catalyst for growth, development and poverty reduction. The study recommends greater emphasis on regional aid for trade as a means of improving regional economic integration and development prospects. While regional aid for trade faces many practical implementation challenges, experience has shown that associated problems are not insurmountable but do require thorough planning, careful project formulation, and prioritization on the part of policy makers.
For national governments, the importance of regional development policies reflects two important realities: first, people’s well-being is strongly influenced by where they live and work; and, secondly, it is often possible to identify opportunities and potential policy complementarities at local or regional level that are not apparent from national capitals. Leveraging this potential creates a double dividend, increasing both aggregate productivity and inclusion. This Policy Insight discusses how Kazakhstan can improve its regional development policy by adopting a more bottom-up, place-based approach in areas where a high degree of centralisation has sometimes prevailed. It suggests the development of place-based policy processes and tools to support economic activities based on the identification and mobilisation of local strengths and assets, and to realise further agglomeration potential. It also discusses ways to strengthen a multilevel governance framework that enables the delivery of such policies.
The Territorial Review of Greece offers analysis and policy guidance to strengthen regional development and well-being. It examines Greece’s regional development framework, the EU Cohesion policy and multilevel governance in Greece. Since the global financial crisis, Greece has undertaken an impressive number of structural reforms. Recovery initiated in 2017 but the current COVID-19 pandemic is slowing down Greece’s efforts. The country is now facing a number of strategic development priorities including fostering digitalisation, improving entrepreneurial and business ecosystems, and addressing environmental challenges. These new priorities must also tackle existing social challenges and mitigate rising inequalities. The Review examines a range of policies that have the potential to propel inclusive growth in Greece’s regions and improve the quality of life for their residents. It stresses that policies for economic growth, social capital and environmental sustainability are more effective when they recognise the different economic and social realities where people live and work. OECD work illustrates the importance to align place based regional development strategies with sectoral policies (support for private investment, infrastructure and human capital policies) in each place to generate multiplier effects. To fulfil this task, Greece will need to continue advancing the reform of its institutional and fiscal multi-level governance system.
The high-speed transport networks of the future are already in the planning stage, and all regions will want to be included. However, the magnitude of the investment required and the operating constraints will make it impossible to provide homogeneous service to all areas. Regional policies, whether accommodating or alternative in scope, will have to be adjusted accordingly. What problems will arise if the regions of Central and Eastern Europe, where investment requirements are considerable, are included? Round Table 94 addressed these issues from both a practical and analytical standpoint, gathering information and comparing the views of specialists and regional policy makers.
An analytical framework for assessing and managing the relationship between regional agreements and the world multilateral trading system. Regional trade agreements (RTAs) are increasingly portrayed as a threat to the free global exchange of goods and services. Moreover, should the WTO-approved Doha Round of multilateral talks end in deadlock, many member countries would likely place even greater emphasis on regional agreements. This book provides WTO members with an analytical framework for assessing and managing the relationship between regionalism and the world multilateral trading system.
Why do some regions grow faster than others, and in ways that do not always conform to economic theory? This is a central issue in today’s economic climate, when policy makers are looking for ways to stimulate new and sustainable growth. OECD work suggests that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to regional growth policy. Rather, regions grow in very varied ways and the simple concentration of resources in a place is not sufficient for long-term growth. This report draws on OECD analysis of regional data (including where growth happens, country-by-country), policy reviews and case studies. It argues that it is how investments are made, regional assets used and synergies exploited that can make the difference. Public investment should prioritise longer-term impacts on productivity growth and combine measures in an integrated way. This suggests an important role for regional policies in shaping growth and economic recovery policies, but also challenges policy makers to implement policy reforms.
This report examines cross-border collaboration on innovation, building on case studies of cross-border areas that include the following countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom and Ireland.
Regions and Innovation Policy addresses the needs of national and regional governments for greater clarity on how to strengthen the innovation capacity of regions. The first part of the book examines strategies, policies and governance, explaining why regions matter, what makes smart policy mixes, and multilevel governance. The second part of the book looks at agencies, instruments and country information, showing how agencis can maximize their impact and what policy instruments work. The final chapter provides country-by-country summaries of what countries are doing.
This report offers guidance on how to manage industrial transition and is directed towards all policymakers seeking to improve the “what” and “how” of policies that promote industrial change. It identifies how regions in industrial transition can become more competitive and more resilient in the context of major shifts brought about by globalisation, decarbonisation and ongoing technological change. It takes stock of discussions emanating from a series of peer-learning workshops jointly organised in 2018 by the European Commission and the OECD. The report presents a number of implementation tools that policymakers have at their disposal to activate regional innovation potential to help tackle these challenges and the often accompanying ones such as an unsuitable skills base, unemployment due to deindustrialisation, and limited investment opportunities.
Bringing together economic analysis and regional and country practice from the participating regions and countries on the topics of the future of work, entrepreneurship, innovation, transitioning to a climate-neutral economy and inclusive growth, the report identifies cross-cutting lessons to help policy-makers better design the next generation of smart specialisation and regional innovation strategies.
This report builds on work presented in the OECD’s 2019 report Regions in Industrial Transition: Policies for People and Places. It considers industrial transition as a complex and enduring challenge in regional development that traditional policy levers have not always been able to satisfactorily address. Beginning with an overview of how to characterise these regions, it then explores why they require tailored policy approaches and posits whether adopting a more experimental path in governance arrangements and policy initiatives could make inroads in meeting industrial transition objectives.
The report shares findings emanating from the experiences of eight regions and two countries that designed and implemented experimental initiatives to advance their industrial transition process and Smart Specialisation Strategies, with the support of the European Commission. It features a framework of governance and policy areas that influence industrial transition, and applicable to experimentation. Combining this with insights from each experiment studied, the report presents a toolkit of policy levers for policy makers grappling with industrial transition, and a checklist for those wishing to apply an experimental approach to industrial transition initiatives. Finally, the report contains a synopsis of the initiatives designed and implemented by the regions and countries participating in this project.
This report presents the results of the OECD/FAO Zoning Project, which examined the possibility of identifying geographic zones for the testing of pesticide residues in agricultural crops. The reason for having such zones would be to facilitate international co-operation and promote efficiency in pesticide residue testing.
Although deregulation is well under way in the transport sector, regular coach services are still largely regulated. Governments see them as potentially competing with rail transport services. However, in countries that have had some experience with deregulation the outcome has clearly been positive (except for local short-distance services).
The Round Table began with a review of regular interurban coach services based on case studies in countries which had adopted an original approach. This report shows the industry in a totally new light. One of its main findings is that there is a specific market for customers that have no other means of transport. Opening up this market would benefit the most economically disadvantaged sectors of the population. But that is not the only lesson to be learned from this Round Table.
This report examines how new app-based mobility services can be effectively regulated. High-quality regulations are essential to ensure that ridesourcing, dockless bikeshare, e-scooters and other innovative forms of urban mobility deliver their full benefits for society. They are also crucial to guarantee safety, address environmental concerns and ensure consumer protection. But inappropriate regulation will deny citizens welfare benefits and stifle development of services that may contribute to a more sustainable transport system.
Providing appropriate financial security for retirement is an issue of crucial importance to OECD Member and non-member countries alike. The approaches adopted to implement the necessary reforms vary depending on each country’s economic, social and demographic environment. Increasingly, however, reform programmes involve the establishment or extension of private pension arrangements -- the focus of attention of the International Network of Pension Regulators and Supervisors (INPRS), a group of over 130 regulatory and supervisory authorities representing more than 60 countries. In April 2001, the INPRS and the OECD (which provides the Secretariat for the Network) brought together policy makers and experts to analyse the key policy implications arising from the growth of private pensions. This volume contains a selection of the papers presented at that meeting.
Regulating the long-term safety of geological disposal of radioactive waste is a key part of making progress on the radioactive waste management issue. A survey of member countries has shown that differences exist both in the protection criteria being applied and in the methods for demonstrating compliance, reflecting historical and cultural differences between countries which in turn result in a diversity of decision-making approaches and frameworks. This conference proceedings presents discussions focused on diversity in regulatory processes; the basis and tools for assuring long-term protection; ethical responsibilities of one generation to later generations and how these can be discharged; and adapting regulatory processes to the long time frames involved in implementing geological disposal. These proceedings include a summary of the viewpoints expressed as well as the 22 papers presented at the workshop.
Presented to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in September 2015, this report examines the investment regulations of insurance companies and pension funds, and in particular quantitative investment limits on portfolio allocations.
This report identifies key regulatory issues in tokenised assets and markets that may warrant further attention from policy makers, in order to ensure that those tokenised assets that do fall under the purview of financial market regulators comply with regulatory requirements and are consistent with financial stability, financial consumer and investor protection, market integrity, and competition considerations.