Decentralisation and Regionalisation in Bulgaria

Annex A. Regional government responsibilities in EU and OECD unitary countries

Table A A.1.  Regional government responsibilities in EU and OECD unitary countries

Croatia	Regional administration; Issuance of construction and renting permits (except in large towns) Economic development; Transport and traffic infrastructures; Maintenance of county and local roads Regional and urban planning Healthcare (including secondary care all general hospitals and most specialist hospitals) Social and cultural institutions Secondary education Social welfare (cash benefits); Childcare
Czech Republic	Regional administration Fire safety; Prevention of criminality Road network; Regional public transport; Tourism; Regional economic development and cohesion Protection of fauna and flora Planning (approval of planning and zoning documents) Establishment and management of regional hospitals; Nursing homes; Monitoring the quality of care of private healthcare providers; Emergency services; Long-term care institutions; Facilities for disabled adults and children Sport; Upper secondary education Youth and social services
Denmark	General administration; Public buildings and facilities Action against soil pollution Regional development plans and regional growth strategies; Rebalancing action on behalf of the peripheral zones and rural areas Public health (hospitals, psychiatric services, health insurance, primary healthcare and specialised medicine); Outpatient medicine Support services for the disabled
France	Internal administration Regional spatial planning; Regional transport plans; Regional train lines; School and inter-urban transportation; Civil airports; Non-autonomous harbours Economic development (aid schemes to small- and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs], innovation, internationalisation); Research and development (R&D); Management of European Union (EU) funds Environmental protection planning; Regional parks and preservation areas; Energy saving; Water protection Housing subsidies; Cultural heritage and monuments; Museums; Artistic training High schools (building and technical staff); Vocational training and apprenticeship; Job training programmes; Support to universities and R&D
Greece	Regional administration Civil protection and emergency services Planning/programming and regional development Agriculture/livestock and fisheries; Employment; Trade; Tourism; Roads, transport and communications; Special transport services; Support to local enterprises; Energy and industry; Tourism Natural resources; Environmental protection Public works; Urbanism Culture and sports Education
Hungary	Co‑ordination tasks (regarding municipal service provision) Regional development Rural development Land use planning
Italy	Regional administration; Relations with provinces, metropolitan cities and municipalities; Management of EU funds International and EU relations; Research and innovation; Regional transport; Civil ports and airports; Communications; Energy; Regional land; Agriculture; Banks and credit institutions; Tourism; Employment Environmental protection; Housing Health, through public healthcare agencies (construction and maintenance of hospitals, medical equipment, drugs, medical staff management, etc.) Sports; Cultural activities; Education Complementary social welfare
Japan	Communication and co‑ordination affairs relating to municipalities; Police Economic development; Public infrastructure; Prefectural roads; National highways, Harbours; Agriculture; Employment Forest and river conservation; Environmental protection Public housing; Public health centres Upper secondary schools Social assistance policies
Korea	Management of public properties and facilities Environment Housing Culture Education Social welfare
Netherlands	Supervision of municipalities and regional water authorities Provincial roads; Regional public transport (bus, regional trains); Inland water transport and infrastructure; Regional development agencies; Promotion of the region and co‑ordination of local tourism Environmental protection plans and policies; Water (groundwater plans and regulation); Energy and climate; Renewable energy; Air quality; Soil protection and cleaning; Noise; Production and transport of hazardous materials; Supervision of municipal environmental policies; Nature areas; Spatial planning Financial support of cultural activities; Protection of cultural heritage; Provincial museums Social housing grants
New Zealand	Civil defence in case of emergency Regional transport (including public transport); Harbours; Regional land management Water quality; Contaminant discharge and coastal management, river and lake management; Flood and drainage control; Environmental protection; Resource management; Air quality; Pest control Regional parks and public spaces Water networks management
Norway	General administration Public transport; Trade and industrial policy Environmental protection Regional development (planning and business development) Dental health Libraries; Museums; Sports facilities Upper-secondary education Dental care
Poland	Internal administration; Management of EU funds Defence; Public order Regional economic development; Employment and labour market policy; Regional roads; Public transport including regional rail transport (since 2009); Consumer rights protection Environmental protection; Waste management (since 2009); Spatial development; Water management; Land improvement; Hydropower facilities; Modernisation of rural areas Health promotion; Regional hospitals (specialised services, secondary referral level hospitals); Medical emergency and ambulance services Regional cultural institutions; Some secondary schools and vocational schools; Post-secondary schools; Teacher training colleges Regional Social Policy Centres; Social welfare and family policy; Social exclusion; Disabled care; Childcare; Elderly care
Romania	Management of local airports; County roads; Country infrastructure network (shared) Public health units (primary and secondary healthcare) Cultural institutions Special education (shared) Child and disability allowances; Social services and specialised services for victims of domestic violence; Care for the elderly and for the disabled (shared); Medical and social assistance (shared)
Slovak Republic	Internal administration; International and trans-regional co‑operation; civil defence (in co‑operation with state bodies) Roads, railways; Regional economic development Secondary hospitals; Management of non-state healthcare (psychiatric hospitals and dental services) Regional cultural amenities Secondary, professional, art and vocational schools; Construction and maintenance of buildings; Payment of teacher on behalf of the state Homes for children
Sweden	General administration Public transport (via a regional public transport authority); Regional development; Tourism (optional) Healthcare and medical services; Primary care; Hospitals; Ambulatory care; Dental care Cultural institutions

Source: Adapted from OECD/UCLG (2019[1]), 2019 Report of the World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment - Key Findings, http://www.sng-wofi.org/reports/Key_Findings_2019.pdf.