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Economy


  • 19-November-2021

    English

    Keeping regional inequality in check in Sweden

    Regional inequality is low in Sweden compared to most other OECD countries, but has been rising over the past decades, fuelling discontent in parts of the country, whose inhabitants feel left behind. The younger population is increasingly concentrated in the largest cities, which also enjoy the highest productivity growth. Demographic trends exacerbate the difficulty in providing equal public services across the country. Healthy public finances are allowing the government to increase its support to municipalities and regions to adjust to demographic developments and local operating conditions. Beyond this effort, keeping regional inequality in check will require upgrading the sub-national government fiscal framework, enhancing public service efficiency, especially through digitalisation, and promoting regional convergence further, especially by strengthening the role of universities in regional knowledge and innovation networks.

  • 19-November-2021

    English

    Regional differences in productivity in Sweden: Insights from OECD regions

    Regional inequality has increased in Sweden over the past decades, albeit from a low level. While redistribution and other public policies can narrow regional gaps in income, well-being and access to services, productivity growth is key to maintaining economic dynamism, creating job opportunities and attracting and retaining skilled workers. Against this background, this paper documents the performance of Swedish large regions (TL2) on the main productivity drivers identified by the literature. Panel regressions on a dataset covering up to 125 OECD regions in 17 countries identify the factors associated with high regional productivity, namely rail and road connectivity, knowledge-intensive employment and research and education. Investment in construction and finance is linked to somewhat weaker productivity. Even after taking these factors into account, the Stockholm region benefits from a sizeable productivity advantage, which likely reflects agglomeration effects.

  • 16-July-2021

    English

    Sweden: invest in skills and the digital economy to bolster the recovery from COVID-19, says OECD

    Sweden’s economy is on the road to recovery from the shock of the COVID-19 crisis, yet risks remain. Moving ahead with a labour reform to facilitate adaptation in a fast-changing economic environment, and investing in digital skills and infrastructure, will be crucial to revive employment and build a sustainable recovery, according to the latest OECD Economic Survey of Sweden.

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  • 19-May-2021

    English

    The Impact of Regulation on International Investment in Finland

    The Impact of Regulation on International Investment in Finland examines what drives FDI into Finland and which domestic regulatory aspects may discourage foreign investment. The report analyses trends in FDI flows towards Finland and other Nordic-Baltic countries and discusses the benefits of foreign investment for the Finnish economy. It provides a comparative overview of the regulatory frameworks in force in Finland and its Nordic-Baltic peers, outlining both economy-wide and sector-specific findings, and explores how changes in these regulatory frameworks are linked to changes in FDI inflows in the region. Foreign investors’ views on Finland’s business environment complement these findings. The report underlines potential areas for reform and suggests policy actions that could further improve Finland’s investment climate and contribute to attracting and retaining more FDI, while also strengthening its positive impact.

  • 17-November-2020

    English

    The impact of COVID-19 on SME financing - A special edition of the OECD Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs Scoreboard

    The COVID-19 crisis has had a profound impact on SME access to finance. In particular, the sudden drop in revenues created acute liquidity shortages, threatening the survival of many viable businesses. The report documents an increase in demand for bank lending in the first half of 2020, and a steady supply of credit thanks to government interventions. On the other hand, other sources of finance declined, in particular early-stage equity. This paper, a special edition of Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs, focuses on the impacts of COVID-19 on SME access to finance, along with government policy responses. It reveals that the pre-crisis financing environment was broadly favourable for SMEs and entrepreneurs, who benefited from low interest rates, loose credit standards and an increasingly diverse offer of financing instruments. It documents the unprecedented scope and scale of the policy responses undertaken by governments world-wide, and details their key characteristics, and outlines the principal issues and policy challenges for the next phases of the pandemic, such as the over-indebtedness of SMEs and the need to continue to foster a diverse range of financing instruments for SMEs.

  • 29-March-2019

    English

    Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, in Stockholm, on 29 March 2019

    Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, will be in Stockholm, on 29 March 2019, to present the 2019 OECD Economic Survey of Sweden. While in Stockholm, the Secretary-General will hold bilateral meetings with Mr. Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden, and several Ministers of his Cabinet.

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  • 29-March-2019

    English

    Launch of the 2019 Economic Survey of Sweden

    Sweden’s economic, environmental, income and gender equality, and well-being achievements are remarkable. Driven by robust consumption, investment and exports, GDP has expanded steadily, at an average rate of close to 3% over the past five years. Unemployment has also declined to 6.3% in 2018 (from 8% in 2013), and the employment rate was close to 80% in 2018.

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  • 29-March-2019

    English

    Launch of the 2019 Economic Survey of Sweden - Press Conference

    Sweden’s economic, environmental, income and gender equality, and well-being achievements are remarkable. GDP has expanded steadily, at an average rate of close to 3% over the past five years. Unemployment has also declined to 6.3% in 2018 (from 8% in 2013), and the employment rate was close to 80% in 2018.

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  • 29-March-2019

    English

    Further reforms in Sweden can drive growth, competitiveness and social cohesion

    The Swedish economy is operating close to full capacity, with robust growth and strong employment, but uncertainties linked to the global economy shroud the outlook. Policy should aim to prolong the expansion and ensure that economic success continues to promote inclusiveness, well-being and social cohesion, according to a new report from the OECD.

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  • 15-June-2018

    English

    OECD Reviews of Digital Transformation: Going Digital in Sweden

    OECD Reviews of Digital Transformation: Going Digital in Sweden analyses recent developments of the digital economy in the country, reviews policies related to digitalisation and makes recommendations to increase policy coherence in this area. The report examines recent developments in infrastructures for the digital economy, telecom markets and related regulations and policies in Sweden. It reviews trends in the use of digital technologies by individuals, businesses and the government, and examines policies to foster diffusion. Digital security policies are discussed with a view to assess its strengths and limitations. The report also examines opportunities and challenges raised by digitalisation in key areas and analyses policy responses to these changes. The areas covered range from global value chains and innovation to jobs, skills and work in the digital economy. The report reconsiders these policies in relation to their coherence among different domains and in order to foster synergies across government ministries, levels and institutions, based on the policy framework of the OECD-wide 'Going Digital: Making the Transformation Work for Growth and Well-being' project.
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