OECD conference on labour market policy, Venice, Italy, 17-19 April 2008

Should central government leave regional development to local policy makers? Would giving local authorities and agencies more power and autonomy create more jobs and boost economic growth?

Employment ministers from OECD countries, including Finland, Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, will address such questions at a conference in Venice, Italy, from 17-19 April 2008. The conference, Decentralisation and Coordination :  The Twin Challenges of Labour Market  Policy, is organised by OECD and the Senate and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Italy.

This conference is open to the media.

Participants will include Stephen Timms, UK Minister of State, Department for Work & Pensions; Elaine Chao, US Secretary of Labor; Cesare Damiano, Minister of Labour & Social Security, Italy; Xavier Prats-Monné, Director, DG Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities, European Commission; Jan Andersson, Chair of the Committee on Employment & Social Affairs, European Parliament; and Aart de Geus, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD.

Journalists wishing to register should contact Lucy Clarke from the OECD’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Local Development (tel. + 33 1 45 24 90 78).

Further information, including the conference agenda, is available at www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/venice