1. Metropolitan governance reforms in the OECD The case of the MRDH Rolf Alter Director of Public Governance and Territorial Development, OECD Metropolis Conference: Launch of the MRDH Metropolitan Region | 19 March 2015

2. How does the OECD view cities in the Netherlands? Cities in the Netherlands Functional urban areas in the Netherlands

3. Metro governance reforms in the OECD have accelerated in recent decades Turkey: creation of metropolitan provinces Australia: regional-led initiatives to create metro governance bodies France: new governance structures for the 14 biggest urban areas United Kingdom: “city deals” incentivise cities to improve metro cooperation Italy: 10 provinces become metropolitan cities (città metropolitane)

4. Type of governance arrangement for those metropolitan areas with a governance body Most metro governance bodies are based on informal co-ordination While common, metro governance arrangements differ in their approach Around 2/3 of metro areas in the OECD have a metro governance body May be bottom-up or top-down, public sector- or private sector-driven Bodies range from “soft” co-ordination to formal metropolitan arrangements Most lack legislative powers Different arrangements may co-exist within a single country Share of metropolitan areas with and without a governance body by type of power Most metro bodies lack legislative powers (just 18% have them)

5. Governance bodies typically make economic sense and improve quality of life in cities Urban sprawl Satisfaction with public transport Urban sprawl has decreased in metro areas with a metro governance body and increased in areas without one. Satisfaction with public transport is higher -- and PM 2.5 levels are lower -- in areas with a transport authority than in those without.

6. MRDH: Opportunities and challenges for an integrated metro region The Hague Rotterdam MRDH The NetherlandsMRDH

7. Directions for success How to ensure democratic legitimacy and accountability? How to develop continuity beyond political cycles? How to ensure that (sm)all voices can be heard? How to develop strategies that take into account multiple territorial scales? What role for the province? For the national government?

8. Thank you