France has faced two significant, successive shocks: the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in inflation. Emergency government measures were decisive in protecting business, jobs and purchasing power, but at a high fiscal cost. Efforts to reduce public spending will be key to lower government debt. Lifting productivity growth hinges on a wider diffusion of digital technologies, reduced regulatory barriers and stronger innovation. The effectiveness of carbon pricing could be strengthened by gradually removing subsidies and tax exemptions that certain sectors benefit from.

Students perform at a similar level to OECD peers but the link between socio-economic background and educational outcomes is particularly strong. Spreading the allocation of public support to disadvantaged students more widely across schools would help to avoid threshold effects and to better respond to students’ needs. Rebalancing the distribution of education spending in favour of primary schools could provide greater support to children in the early years of their schooling. The use of modern teaching approaches, including cognitive activation practices, that are associated with better student achievement, could be reinforced.

SPECIAL FEATURE: IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES