Publications & Documents

Robust SME sectors are critical to the prosperity of the six Western Balkan economies and Turkey, accounting for over 70% of those employed in the business sector and generating 65% of value added in these seven economies. Yet their potential remains untapped, as SMEs across the region grapple with numerous challenges that hamper their growth and productivity. They are still under-represented in international trade, and their contributions to value-added remain comparatively low as they have difficulties in moving or expanding into high value-added activities.This report provides a comprehensive overview of the implementation of the ten principles of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA) in the seven EU pre-accession economies over the period 2016-18. It monitors progress against similar assessments performed over the past decade and identifies the outstanding challenges affecting SMEs. It also provides targeted recommendations to remove barriers to SME development and unleashing their potential for driving inclusive economic growth.

L’adaptation des zones côtières aux impacts du changement climatique est désormais une urgence. La hausse du niveau des mers et des pressions immobilières va certainement y accroître les risques, selon les prévisions. En quoi les processus nationaux de planification de l’adaptation des pays de l’OCDE peuvent-ils nous aider à répondre à ce défi ? C’est la question à laquelle répond cet ouvrage. Il expose clairement les diverses conceptions du partage des coûts et des responsabilités en matière de gestion des risques côtiers. Il examine ensuite si celles-ci encouragent ou dissuadent les ménages, les entreprises et les différents niveaux de gouvernement d’adopter des comportements qui réduisent les risques. Cet ouvrage décrit les instruments d’action que les autorités nationales peuvent employer pour favoriser une réaction efficiente, efficace et équitable face aux changements qui affectent le littoral. Il s’appuie sur de nouvelles analyses des coûts futurs de la hausse du niveau des mers et sur les principaux résultats de quatre études de cas (Allemagne, Canada, Nouvelle-Zélande et Royaume Uni). 

This report provides a cross-country review of waste, materials management and circular economy policies in selected OECD countries, drawing on OECD’s Environmental Performance Reviews during the period 2010-17. It presents the main achievements in the countries reviewed, along with common trends and policy challenges, and provides insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of waste, materials management and circular economy policy frameworks. As the selected reviews were published over a seven-year period, information for some countries may be more recent than for others. Nevertheless, the policy recommendations emerging from the reviews may provide useful lessons for other OECD countries and partner economies.

The SME Policy Index is a benchmarking tool that assists emerging economies in monitoring and evaluating progress in policies that support small and medium-sized enterprises. This first application of the Index methodology in the Latin American and Caribbean region covers the four Pacific Alliance member countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru) and three participating South American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay). Divided into seven policy dimensions, this report assesses the strengths and weaknesses that exist in different areas of SME policy design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, and provides guidance to policy makers in identifying policy areas for future reform according to international good practices.This report is a joint effort between the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the OECD through its Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Programme (LACRP), in co-operation with the 'Foundation for the Strategic Analysis and Development of the SME' (FAEDPYME) and the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA).

Les femmes contribuent largement à l’économie alimentaire de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, perpétuant une longue tradition de commerce et participant aux échanges frontaliers et au rayonnement régional. Ces activités se heurtent à de nombreux obstacles mais présentent de fortes opportunités, que le rapport souligne par une analyse relationnelle et spatiale inédite des réseaux sociaux. Celle-ci est conduite au niveau de la filière du riz dans la zone du Dendi (Bénin, Niger et Nigéria) et des réseaux de gouvernance régionaux promouvant l’entrepreneuriat féminin. Le rapport confirme l’effet attracteur du Nigéria porté par sa démographie et son urbanisation croissante. Il propose le développement de politiques publiques innovantes fondées sur le renforcement du capital social féminin et des options politiques pour une meilleure intégration des diverses initiatives entreprises par les États, les organisations internationales et non gouvernementales en matière d’autonomisation et de renforcement de la résilience des femmes.

How can the European Union become more attractive for talented professionals looking for job opportunities worldwide? Can EU-level action support employers, private and public stakeholders in each Member State to better leverage international recruitment into the Single Market? This report presents a new overview of the obstacles that continue to hamper the attraction and recruitment of skills from outside Europe, and discusses the role of both public and private initiatives to help overcome these barriers. It provides a comparative analysis of the Expression of Interest (EoI) system of migration management as implemented in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and assesses its potential to address the needs of the European labour migration system. The report presents several options and variants for adapting the EoI, step by step and EU-wide, and examines their feasibility, constraints and advantages.

Latvia, a member of the European Union since 2004, is a small, dynamic and open economy that has successfully transitioned from central planning to a market economy. The reforms undertaken have driven progress, although from generally low levels and at a slower pace in agriculture than for the economy as a whole. This report examines the conditions under which farms and businesses in the food and agriculture sector in Latvia undertake innovation to become more productive and environmentally sustainable. It identifies opportunities as well as challenges that need to be addressed. These include economy wide skills shortage, emigration and population decline and urban concentration of population and services. At the sectoral level, these include the use of agricultural payments to support a large number of non-commercial farms and the high level of unpaid farm labour. To meet these challenges, agricultural innovation can be harnessed to improve the sector’s productivity, as well as the sustainability and efficiency of the food system. This report provides a series of recommendations that should allow agricultural policies to contribute to a well-functioning innovation system that can meet the challenges that lie ahead.