Subnational governance and finance matter for regional development

At the global level, subnational governments are key economic and social players. They represent on average in the OECD:

• 40% of public expenditure
• 63% of total public staff expenditure
• 57% of public investment
• 32% of public tax revenue
• 20% of public debt

The OECD is the leading international forum on multi-level governance, identifying policy options and recommendations to strengthen subnational capacities and multi-level mechanisms for more effective and inclusive regional development policies.

In 2016, the OECD created the Multi-Level Governance Studies series, focusing on decentralisation reforms, public investment, municipal governance, subnational finance and territorial reforms.

See launch event of the World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment

See launch event

Events

The OECD organised with the EU Committee of the Regions (CoR) a conference on “Subnational Finance and Investment Ten Years after the Crisis” on 12 November 2018 in Brussels.

This joint CoR/OECD conference reveiwed the current state of subnational finance and investment, exploring the constraints and demands that subnational governments face. It also looked ahead to different solutions and opportunities that exist for cities and regions to reach their investment objectives and deliver public value, now and in the years to come. New OECD publications on subnational finance in the EU and on subnational Public Private Partnerships were presented during the event.

Conference programme

Webstreaming available

More information

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The OECD is a leading forum on multi-level governance, identifying policy options and recommendations to strengthen subnational capacities.

Learn more

The OECD gathers and publishes annually updated data on subnational governments in 35 OECD member countries.

Access the data

Our online Toolkit will guide you in implementing the OECD Principles on Effective Public Investment Across Levels of Government.

Access the Toolkit