Eurostat Working Group Regional Statistics OECD Regions at a Glance 2011 Measuring regional development in OECD countries Eurostat Working Group Regional Statistics 5 October, 2011 Monica Brezzi Head Regional Analysis and Statistics, OECD Regional Development Policy Division

Summary The role of regional data in regional development paradigm Strengthen the links between information and policy needs

Regional data as critical input to shift from a concept of regional policy as a compensatory policy to a growth concept

40% of the increase in total GDP between 1995 and 2007 was driven by 10% of regions Percent of national GDP growth contributed by the top 10% TL3 regions; 1995- 2007 Data were a critical input in moving regional policy from a compensation policy to a growth base concept The shift is to make regions policy unit of the world – so we need to assess their assets and potentials Source: OECD Regions at a Glance 2011

Large metropolitan regions are not always the competitive regions GDP growth rate in metropolitan regions; 1997-2007

On average rural regions grew faster than urban, especially when improvement in productivity of agriculture competitive” regions can be of any kind: many rural regions grew faster than urban ones

Competitiveness, Inclusion and Sustainability Regional data as critical input to consolidate a comprehensive 3 pillars model of development: Competitiveness, Inclusion and Sustainability

Regional disparities in access to education and health can’t be explained just by income differentials Ratio between the largest and smallest TL2 regional values: household income, basic education attainment, age-adjusted mortality rate and density of physicians; 2007 Similarly now the evidence helps moving from a growth approach to an integrated sustainable model of development, where to consider fair societies and environmentally sustainable, together with the efficiency objective. Strategic approach to integrate resources and policy interventions to increase complementarities. Complementarities are better understood at local level, to unlock local knowledge of where choices and preferences are expressed

Strategic approach to integrate resources and policy interventions to increase complementarities. Need to increase knowledge of “territory” to identify common characteristics in adaptability to changes and resilience to external shocks.

New definitions for new measures Produce new knowledge to address policy questions: type of urbanisation, carbon emissions of cities, air quality in regions, income distribution, poverty etc. Integration of GIS data (land cover, road networks, location of key infrastructure and services), and socio-economic data on population distribution and on flows Extended OECD territorial classification: Remote rural regions New definition of functional urban areas New thinking and concept: (e.g. how to define poverty: national /regional thresholds? regional PPPs? Income including/excluding in-kind social transfers?)

Strengthen the links between information and policy needs

Present common stock of knowledge Robust set of indicators: Enable international comparison to assess economic performance of territories and quality of life of people living there (harmonized definitions and methods); Help make informed choices and orient policy (Relevant for a certain place, debatable, timely) Enter in the evaluation of policies (what worked and why and explicit connections and causality) Coherent analysis (e.g. Regions at a Glance) Friendly tool to disseminate (e.g. eXplorer) Good knowledge the first one - moving towards the 2 - aware of 3 - debate the potential of different sources of information and debate about methos. The link between statistical information and information collected for managing objectives. from policy dialogue to sum-up conclusions (meta-evaluation, the review of reviews), institutional indicators mapping Balance inductive approach

Strengthen links between evidence, analysis and policy needs Regional indicators, comparative analysis Country’s policy design Countries and regional reviews of territorial policies; Committee meetings, policy dialogue Country’s policy delivery , implementation Challenges to integrate data and analysis with policy insights (from reviews, policy dialogue, countries experience). First question how to integrate them in a easy to capture way for policy makers. Second challenge how to deliver them in a way which is useful for policy makers when designing policies, implementing reforms and/or evaluating them?