Reports

This book synthesises recent work by the OECD analysing services trade policies and quantifying their impacts on imports and exports, the performance of manufacturing and services sectors, and how services trade restrictions influence the decisions and outcomes of firms engaged in international markets. Based on the OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) - a unique, evidence-based tool that provides snapshots of regulations affecting trade in services in 22 sectors across 44 countries (representing over 80% of global trade in services) - the analysis highlights the magnitude, nature and impact of the costs entailed by restrictive services trade policies. The new evidence uncovered is meant to inform trade policy makers and the private sector about the likely effects of unilateral or concerted regulatory reforms and help prioritise policy action.

Please consult oe.cd/stri for further information and access to the STRI interactive online tools.

This Review focuses on improving access to quality and timely services for citizens as a means to facilitate inclusive growth in the Dominican Republic. Despite its macroeconomic performance in the last decade, poverty and levels of inequalities remain high in the Dominican Republic. At the same time, citizens report limited satisfaction with the quality and access to services in the country, often reflected in less than optimal outcomes in areas such as health, transport or education. The review's focus on service delivery offers the opportunity to apply the concepts and tools of public governance at an operational level and with immediate implications for the government-citizen relationship. The inclusion of multidisciplinary good practices, collected through OECD work on public sector management, digital government, innovation or administrative simplification, allows a comprehensive but integrated assessment of the use of public policy levers for optimizing service design and delivery. By covering aspects relating both to the competence of government – in terms of the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of public services – and to the principles governing the provision of services – including engagement, accountability or inclusiveness, this review identifies policy recommendations to improve access, coverage and quality of public services, regardless of income levels, location and other social and economic factors – as a key lever to achieve more inclusive growth. 
 

Regulatory differences across jurisdictions can be costly for traders. While these costs may reflect variations in domestic conditions and preferences, they may also be the result of rule-making processes working in isolation and of a lack of consideration for the international environment. Thus, some of the trade costs of regulatory divergence may be avoided without compromising the quality of regulatory protection. Building on lessons learnt from OECD analytical work and the experiences of OECD countries in regulatory policy and trade, this report proposes a definition of trade costs of regulatory divergence and analyses various approaches to addressing them, including unilateral, bilateral and multilateral approaches. It focuses on the contribution of good regulatory practices, the adoption of international standards, and the use of cross-border recognition frameworks and trade agreements. Based on this, the report provides indications for policy makers on how to reduce trade costs through international regulatory co-operation.
 

Regulatory reform has been a top priority in Korea for several successive administrations. Maintaining momentum for reform in Korea will be essential for producing tangible results and supporting inclusive growth, productivity and innovation. The Regulatory Reform Review of Korea provides key insights into a mature regulatory system and follows two previous Regulatory Reform Reviews of Korea completed in 2000 and 2007. It identifies a number of areas where improvements could help Korea reap the full benefits of the reforms introduced so far.
It stresses the need for a clear strategy for regulatory policy in order to make better use of the resources deployed.
 

SMEs and entrepreneurs play a key role in national economies around the world, generating employment and income, contributing to innovation and knowledge diffusion, responding to new or niched demands and social needs, and enhancing social inclusion. However, SMEs are often more affected by business environment conditions and structural policies than larger firms.

This report presents comparative evidence on SME performance and trends, and on a broad range of policy areas and business environment conditions that are important for small businesses. The analysis takes into account the multi-dimensionality of SME policy objectives and the significant heterogeneity of the SME population, within and across countries. Data and indicators on framework conditions are complemented with information on recent policy trends in OECD countries. This publication addresses a growing demand by governments for tools to monitor the business environment for small and medium-sized enterprises, and benchmark the effectiveness of policies in creating appropriate conditions for them to flourish and grow.

Regulators are the “referees” of markets that provide essential services to citizens; they guarantee that all actors respect the rules and work to achieve the best outcomes. This means that their behaviour must be objective, impartial, consistent and free from conflict of interest – in other words, independent. Yet, regulators need to engage with a number of stakeholders, who may also seek to apply pressure and exert undue influence on regulatory outcomes. The independence of regulators is thus constantly under stress. This report provides practical advice on how to address stress points and protect economic regulators from undue influence, drawing on the experience of over 80 regulators that participate in the OECD Network of Economic Regulators (NER). It presents a practical checklist to support behavioural and organisational change, and helps other stakeholders better understand and appreciate the role of regulators and how to interact with them.