The OECD Territorial Review of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium, provides an in-depth assessment of the trends, challenges and opportunities for sustainable and inclusive urban development in the region.

The Brussels-Capital Region has witnessed significant improvements in its labour market over the past decade. Local job creation has been driven by ample opportunities for highly-skilled workers whom the Brussels-Capital Region attracts from its surrounding regions, the European Union, and beyond.

Belgium’s economy has been relatively resilient to recent shocks and is expected to continue to grow steadily. Public finances have deteriorated though. In absence of fiscal consolidation, the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise fast. Cutting ineffective public spending and reforming the budgetary framework to increase accountability across governments would help ensure public finances are on a sustainable path. Reforms to taxes and benefits could foster labour market activation and expand the tax base. Strengthening prevention and return-to-work programmes could contribute to tackling the high and increasing take up of disability benefits and better support employment of people with reduced work capacity. A coordinated strategy to reduce administrative costs and facilitate small firms’ access to training could increase business dynamism and productivity. Targeted support for female entrepreneurs could also unlock additional potential of the SME sector. Achieving the green transition requires setting up binding targets and improving coordination of climate policy across federal and regional governments. Easing procedures and improved financing schemes would help deploy renewable energy production. Transparency in future environmental standards with adequate and well-targeted financial incentives would sustain household investment in energy efficiency and electrification, particularly in the transportation and building renovation sectors. SPECIAL FEATURES: LABOUR MARKET, CLIMATE POLICY, SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

A comprehensive economic review of the Puebla-Tlaxcala region of Mexico. The review examines the region's challenges and assets and makes a series of policy recommendations.

The review of human resource management (HRM) in Belgian government provides a detailed diagnosis and solutions for improving the management of government employees in the Federal Government and various regions.

The report Delineating Functional Areas for all Territories provides a comprehensive review of existing approaches to delineating functional areas across countries’ entire national territory as a tool for territorial statistics and regional policy making. The report explains the rationale for functional territories as a complement to established administrative geographies.

This book examines regional innovation in central and southern Denmark, looking at its role in the economy, its governance and policy context and regional strategies for innovation driven growth.

This review of Belgium's environmental conditions and policies evaluates progress in reducing the pollution burden, improving natural resource management, integrating environmental and economic policies, and strengthening international co-operation.

This report examines the Netherland’s new Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam-The Hague (MRDH), drawing on lessons from governance reforms in other OECD countries and identifying how the MRDH experience could benefit policy makers beyond Dutch borders.

Regions and Innovation Policy addresses the needs of national and regional governments for greater clarity on how to strengthen the innovation capacity of regions.