OECD Public Governance

Public finances across OECD countries are under growing pressure. Persistent deficits, crisis‑related support and weak growth have pushed public debt to around 110% of GDP, while spending pressures continue to rise - including in healthcare, pensions and defence. The OECD report "#RestoringPublicFinances: Enabling Effective Government" finds that: ➡️ Current savings efforts remain modest. Under current policies, nearly half of countries projected to increase their primary deficit between 2023 and 2027 ➡️Savings focus on the largest spending areas. Social protection and healthcare, which are around half of total public spending, are the most frequent focus for reform. ➡️Efficiency reforms in government operations are widespread. More than three‑quarters of countries are pursuing savings through reorganisation, digitalisation, shared services and public workforce reforms. What can governments do get public finances back on track? ✅ Focus on longterm sustainability in highpressure spending areas, such as pensions, healthcare and longterm care, while maintaining access and quality. ✅ Promote the effective use of top-down medium-term budgeting, use regular spending reviews to reallocate resources and support difficult fiscal choices. ✅ Focus on transparent budgeting, clear communication and stronger engagement, with independent fiscal institutions playing a bigger role. ✅ Streamline government operations by simplifying institutions, reducing administrative burdens and expanding the use of digital tools. The report finds that without further decisive action, public finances risk remaining on a path that erodes fiscal space and weakens governments’ capacity to act and invest in the future 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dyFm8qfu

Robust integrity systems help governments identify corruption risks more effectively, guide their prevention efforts and support the responsible use of public resources. #OECD countries meet 63% of criteria on anti-corruption and integrity regulations, but only 44% on implementation – leaving a 19 percentage-point implementation gap that shows that regulations could be better implemented. See the OECD Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2026 which reviews 62 countries’ resilience to corruption risks: https://brnw.ch/21x10v2 #OECDintegrity

📢 More OECD Member and partner countries are adopting #lobbying regulations, but their quality could be improved. Influence activities such as lobbying provide knowledge and expertise to the policy-making process, but adequate integrity and transparency safeguards are needed to prevent undue influence. While more OECD - OCDE Member and partner countries are regulating lobbying activities, key aspects of lobbying transparency could still be strengthened. For instance, among the 24 OECD Members and 5 partner countries with an operational lobbying register, only 12 require disclosure of the specific legislative or regulatory initiatives of interest to the work of lobbyists, limiting the visibility of how influence is exercised. What can governments do to improve integrity and transparency in lobbying activities? See the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2026 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e7tU82jd #OECDintegrity

How can governments turn priorities into tangible results? Delivering government priorities requires not only clear political direction, but also strong institutional capabilities to co-ordinate action across government. The latest OECD report, Building #CentreOfGovernment Capabilities to Steer and Deliver Complex Priorities, explores how Centres of Government (CoGs) can support heads of government and cabinets in setting priorities, aligning institutions and translating policy ambitions into tangible results. Drawing on evidence from Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Poland and Portugal, the report examines three areas that are central to effective delivery: ✅ Aligning administrative structures with government priorities ✅ Supporting prioritisation and planning to turn political programmes into coherent commitments ✅ Strengthening the analytical, data and collaborative capabilities needed for cross-government co-ordination and policy development The findings highlight the role of effective CoGs not only as co-ordinators, but also as strategic advisors that help bridge political leadership and public administration, broker consensus across competing interests, and sustain attention on long-term outcomes. The report highlights the importance of clear mandates, sufficient analytical capacity and disciplined choices about where and how the centre should engage. Contributing to the OECD’s #GovernmentUnstuck agenda, the report offers practical insights for strengthening governments’ ability to steer, co-ordinate and deliver on complex priorities. Download the report 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ec4hB6gv This project was funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the OECD - OCDE, in co-operation with the European Commission.

What will it take to get #GovernmentUnstuck? OECD Trust Survey results show that low trust is often linked to citizens feeling they lack a voice in decision making and that governments struggle to turn complex policy agendas into tangible outcomes. As a result, many public institutions are perceived as being “stuck”, unable to adapt quickly enough to deliver results. Join us at the 2026 OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy as we discuss the OECD - OCDE’s Government Unstuck Agenda on how governments can improve delivery, strengthen trust and build more resilient democracies. Sessions include: ➡️ A new relationship between government and citizens ➡️ A simplified government focused on delivery ➡️ A proactive and prepared government, ready for a digital world ➡️ Agentic AI at scale: opportunities and risks in a hyper-automated State ➡️ The revolution needed in public communication ➡️ Connecting citizen voices to meaningful government action ➡️ Public services shaped by citizens ➡️ Strengthening societies’ democratic resilience 📅 12–13 October 2026 📍 OECD Conference Centre, Paris See the agenda, register, and join us either in-person or online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eVegD-VX #PublicGovernance

#DigitalGovernment 📢 Governments must move from building digital capability to delivering tangible outcomes through integrated, people-focused and data-driven transformation. Governments are facing increasing pressure to deliver faster, more responsive and human-centred public services, while operating with constrained resources. At the same time, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is raising expectations and reshaping what is possible. The #DigitalGovernmentOutlook highlights that OECD countries have made significant progress in building the foundations of digital government. For OECD countries, the report finds that: 🔵 69% have made more than half of their online services accessible through digital identity 🔵 92% have an AI-in-government strategy 🔵 63% of public institutions use interoperable systems to share data across government However, key gaps remain: ⚪️ Only 58% systematically track citizen and business needs across the service lifecycle ⚪️ Only 55% use procurement approaches suited to agile digital projects ⚪️ And just 29% conduct evaluations to inform future action The priority now is to translate these foundations into system-wide transformation and measurable impact, which require ➡️ Broadening the use of digital public infrastructure and data across government ➡️ Continue strengthening digital capabilities for trustworthy and scalable AI in government ➡️ Designing public services around people's lives, not institutional structures ➡️ Making governance, investment and skills fit for digital delivery The report provides a comprehensive assessment across 36 Members and 8 candidate countries. It highlights progress to date, identifies remaining gaps, and sets out priorities for the next phase of digital government. Download the report: https://lnkd.in/eCPruurh

#OpenExchangeDay 🔄 Breaking the Barriers: Ensuring Access to Public Procurement Markets #PublicProcurement accounts for around 13% of GDP in OECD economies, making it one of the most powerful levers governments have to deliver value for money and high-quality public services. Yet in today’s environment, shaped by supply chain disruptions, growing market concentration, and rapid digital transformation, ensuring fair access to public #procurement markets and fostering #competition is becoming both more challenging and more critical than ever. 📅 27 Oct 2026  📍OECD Conference Centre, Paris Join us for the Open Exchange Day as we discuss how can we strengthen the link between public procurement and competition policy to: ➡️ Promote a level playing field ➡️ Prevent bid rigging and collusion ➡️ Support diverse and competitive supplier markets ➡️ Harness data and digital tools to improve transparency and resilience This in-person event will provide a platform to share experiences, emerging practices, and lessons learned – bridging perspectives between procurement and competition communities to strengthen well-functioning, competitive markets. Register now to join 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ea7nJN2H

📢 Citizen participation can improve how European Union Cohesion Policy is designed and implemented: Insights from 11 pilot initiatives Cohesion Policy is the #EU's largest investment policy. Its goal is to reduce regional disparities and support balanced economic, social and territorial development across Europe. At its core is the 'Partnership Principle': engaging with local stakeholders to ensure that investments reflect the needs and priorities of the people they are intended to benefit. Participatory processes make this possible by bringing citizens’ perspectives into policymaking, helping governments identify needs, improve policy design and strengthen public trust. This new report draws on 11 pilot initiatives that tested a wide range of participatory approaches to #CohesionPolicy across 7 #EU countries (Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, and Spain) in collaboration with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy.  It shows that #CitizenParticipation can lead to more accurate and trusted policies, while highlighting the challenges that remain. It also offers pathways to embed meaningful citizen participation throughout the Cohesion Policy cycle. Download the report ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dUUbHXxq Nejla Saula Jesper Stenberg Johnsøn David Goessmann Raphael Pouyé Charlotte Denise-Adam Manon Manon Epherre-Iriart Giulia Cibrario Antonis Stoufis Celina Sousa Pereira

Public consultation 📢 Towards a Shared Reference Framework for Law as Code Today, legal rules are often translated separately into digital systems across governments, service providers and technology platforms. This can lead to duplication, inconsistent implementation, limited interoperability and reduced transparency. As #AI becomes increasingly capable of supporting public services and government functions, ensuring that the legal logic underpinning digital systems remains transparent, accountable and under public oversight is becoming increasingly important. The OECD - OCDE is seeking input on how machine-executable versions of law could serve as public digital infrastructure, providing a shared foundation for digital services, regulatory compliance and AI systems. We are looking for insights from governments, legal experts, technologists, academia, industry and civil society to help inform the development of an international reference framework for #LawAsCode. Further information: https://lnkd.in/eXMD-EWE Participate in Phase 1: https://lnkd.in/eHc9gy44 Deadline 🔔 Friday 16 October 2026