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This study assesses the implementation of the recommendations from the OECD Innovation Policy Review of Norway 2017 along four major themes: (1) Developing research communities of outstanding quality; (2) Enhancing competitiveness and innovation capacity; (3) Tackling major social challenges; and (4) Improving the governance of the science, technology and innovation system. The results of this assessment are then used to identify new opportunities for reforms in the Norwegian Long-term plan for Research and Higher Education 2023-2032. While focused on Norway, the report also provides lessons on key issues, such as the sustainable transition of advanced economies, that can be useful in other national contexts.

Laws and regulations affect the daily lives of businesses and citizens. It is important that they are designed in a way that takes account of their social, environmental and business impacts and ensures they remain relevant in today’s fast-changing context. The second edition of the Better Regulation Practices across the European Union report analyses recent developments and current practices for improving the quality of laws and regulations across all 27 EU Member States and the European Union. Using the OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance, the report systematically assesses the use of evidence-based tools and stakeholder participation in the design and review of both domestic and EU laws and regulations, and provides a detailed assessment of the application of the proportionality principle. The report presents good regulatory practices and highlights areas that should receive further attention and investment.

Removing unnecessary barriers to competition through targeted reforms can foster productivity and economic growth. This Regulatory Reform Review of Brazil analyses sectors that create barriers to competition, such as regulations that create obstacles to the entry of firms, inhibit the entry of firms, or restrict activities in professional and network sectors. In a complementary way, the review also identifies government efforts to develop policies and tools to improve the quality of regulations, such as ex ante assessment of draft regulations, stakeholder engagement in rule making, and administrative simplification. High-quality regulations can stimulate productivity by encouraging the efficient allocation of resources and promoting innovation. In turn, these measures can reduce prices for consumers, stimulate the creation of jobs, and help improve living standards. The review identifies areas for reform to bring the country’s regulations and institutional arrangements more in line with international best practices. It demonstrates how a proportional, clear, and efficient regulatory framework can drive improvements in Brazil’s economic performance and the welfare of its citizens.

The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) conducts peer reviews of individual members once every five to six years. Reviews seek to improve the quality and effectiveness of members’ development co-operation, highlighting good practices and recommending improvements. Portugal mobilises its whole of government expertise with a strong focus on partner country ownership. Building on long-standing and close bilateral relations, it concentrates its funding on countries most in need. Through effective international advocacy, the country champions triangular co-operation and has fostered agreement amongst European Union (EU) members on issues such as strengthening Team Europe’s commitment to human development when it held the Presidency of the EU Council. However, Portugal can make more out of the wide participation of state and non-state actors in its development co-operation. This peer review provides a set of recommendations to improve co-ordination across government, pull bilateral efforts together, focus more on outcomes and take action to increase official development assistance (ODA).

As a small, open economy, Mauritius needs a well-performing regulatory system that provides necessary protections while enabling the development of trade and investment and limiting administrative burdens. A robust regulatory impact assessment (RIA) framework can enhance Mauritius’ business environment and attractiveness as a trade and investment partner. In particular, RIA can help Mauritius strengthen its rule-making framework, for example by increasing scrutiny and taking a more evidence-based approach to rulemaking. This report presents OECD recommendations on to how establish a RIA framework in Mauritius. These recommendations are based upon an analysis of the country’s strengths and challenges, as well as extensive engagement with stakeholders. The recommendations also draw on lessons learnt from RIA implementation in a range of countries and an initial benchmarking of RIA-related best practices and guidance material from various relevant jurisdictions.

Trust in public institutions is a cornerstone of the Norwegian administrative and political model. It has also been a crucial element in Norway’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Preserving and strengthening this 'trust capital' will be essential for Norway in addressing future trade-offs and challenges, such as ensuring the sustainability of the welfare model, coping with climate change and maintaining social cohesion. Based on the results of the OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions and using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examines the main determinants of trust in Norway’s national government, local government and public administration.

As artificial intelligence (AI) integrates all sectors at a rapid pace, different AI systems bring different benefits and risks. In comparing virtual assistants, self-driving vehicles and video recommendations for children, it is easy to see that the benefits and risks of each are very different. Their specificities will require different approaches to policy making and governance. To help policy makers, regulators, legislators and others characterise AI systems deployed in specific contexts, the OECD has developed a user-friendly tool to evaluate AI systems from a policy perspective. It can be applied to the widest range of AI systems across the following dimensions: People & Planet; Economic Context; Data & Input; AI model; and Task & Output. Each of the framework's dimensions has a subset of properties and attributes to define and assess policy implications and to guide an innovative and trustworthy approach to AI as outlined in the OECD AI Principles.

As 'market referees', regulators contribute to the delivery of essential public services. Their organisational culture, behaviour and governance are important factors in how regulators, and the sectors they oversee, perform. The OECD Performance Assessment Framework for Economic Regulators (PAFER) looks at the institutions, processes and practices that can create an organisational culture of performance and results. The report uses PAFER to assess elements linked to both the internal and external governance of Peru’s Water and Sanitation Services Regulator (Superintendencia Nacional de Servicios de Saneamiento, Sunass). The review acknowledges the technical expertise of Sunass within the institutional framework, analyses the key drivers of its performance, and identifies a number of opportunities to help the regulator prepare for the future, including in the context of sector-wide challenges and the COVID-19 crisis.

The OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) conducts peer reviews of individual members once every five to six years. Reviews seek to improve the quality and effectiveness of members’ development co-operation, highlighting good practices and recommending improvements. Spain has put the 2030 Agenda at the centre of its foreign policy and development co-operation. It works in alliances to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, internationally and in partner countries. Spain is valued for its work in horizontal and inclusive partnerships, and its ability to mobilise public sector expertise to capture and share knowledge. As Spain embarks on a comprehensive reform of its development co-operation strategy and architecture, this peer review provides a set of recommendations to improve strategic steering, streamline its administrative framework, strengthen human resources and fully mobilise its financial co-operation.