Strengthening Italy’s public sector effectiveness
Raising the effectiveness of Italy’s public sector is more urgent than ever. It will
be key to revive investment and productivity and improve access to quality public
services for the most vulnerable. The quality of public goods and services is variable,
weakening Italy’s resilience to shocks like the COVID-19 crisis and the ability to
secure a more sustained and inclusive recovery. Excessive regulations and their onerous
enforcement add to businesses’ operating costs. Trust in public institutions and public
service delivery is one of the lowest across OECD countries. In the coming years Italy
will have a unique opportunity to improve the effectiveness of its public sector,
through the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the renewal of the public sector workforce,
and the potential of technological innovations. This paper proposes options to strengthen
public sector effectiveness by looking at what interventions the public sector makes
in the economy, how the public sector mobilises its workforce, procures goods and
services, and leverages the benefits of digitalisation, and who acts across levels
of government and between the public and private sector. It concludes that recruiting
and developing the necessary skills in the workforce, monitoring performance, as well
as encouraging coordination will be key to better budget allocations, regulatory environment,
and delivering quality public goods and services.
Available from November 30, 2021
In series:OECD Economics Department Working Papersview more titles