Reports

OECD Reviews of Digital Transformation: Going Digital in Sweden analyses recent developments of the digital economy in the country, reviews policies related to digitalisation and makes recommendations to increase policy coherence in this area. The report examines recent developments in infrastructures for the digital economy, telecom markets and related regulations and policies in Sweden. It reviews trends in the use of digital technologies by individuals, businesses and the government, and examines policies to foster diffusion. Digital security policies are discussed with a view to assess its strengths and limitations. The report also examines opportunities and challenges raised by digitalisation in key areas and analyses policy responses to these changes. The areas covered range from global value chains and innovation to jobs, skills and work in the digital economy.The report reconsiders these policies in relation to their coherence among different domains and in order to foster synergies across government ministries, levels and institutions, based on the policy framework of the OECD-wide 'Going Digital: Making the Transformation Work for Growth and Well-being' project.

Agricultural innovation in Sweden has sought to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the agri-food sector by ensuring a high level of environmental and animal welfare standards, while raising the productivity and financial viability of farms. The policies enacted to date have contributed to a high level of consumer confidence in the quality and methods of food production, but challenges remain. These include adapting new technologies that will further strengthen the high environmental, animal welfare and food standards within a more balanced regional and open trading system. In view of the high production costs in Sweden, there is a need to continue with structural adjustments and better targeted investments in the agri-food sector, as well as to improve the level of interactions between research institutions and farmers to ensure that innovative techniques are adopted by all participants.

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, commonly known as the Nordic countries, have been leaders in the development of modern family and gender policy, and the explicit promotion of gender equality at home, at work, and in public life. Today, on many measures, they boast some of the most gender-equal labour markets in the OECD.
This report shows that improvements in gender equality have contributed considerably to economic growth in the Nordic countries. Increases in female employment alone are estimated to account for anywhere between roughly 0.05 and 0.40 percentage points to average annual GDP per capita growth – equivalent to 3 to 20% of total GDP per capita growth over the past 50 years or so, depending on the country.
The Nordic countries are closer than most to achieving gender equality in the labour market. But the last mile may well prove to be the longest one. To make further progress, a continued assessment of the effectiveness of existing public policies and workplace practices is needed. Only with resolve and a continued focus can Nordic countries ensure that men and women contribute to their economies and societies in gender equal measure.
 

Today, 34% of the population of Gothenburg, Sweden, was born outside of the country or has at least one parent born abroad. The city is growing at a fast pace: 4 400 new residents registered in 2016. Newcomers account for the bulk of demographic growth, of which 12 858 refugees settled in the city between 2010 and 2016. However, migration is not a new phenomenon in Gothenburg, with nearly 41.7% of migrant residents having arrived more than 10 years ago. The Gothenburg municipality has a significant track record in managing the impact of migration on local demand for work, housing, goods and services, cultural and linguistic diversity, and other parts of daily life. This report presents the way Gothenburg municipality and its state and non-state partners are addressing migrant integration issues and opportunities. It compiles data and qualitative evidence on how local integration efforts are designed and implemented within a multi-level governance framework.

In an increasingly globalised world, cities and regions sometimes join forces with their neighbours to form 'megaregions' and tap economies of scale. This report discusses how eight cities and counties in Norway and Sweden - along the coast joining up Oslo, Gothenburg and Malmö - have decided to work closer together as the megaregion of 'Western Scandinavia'. With a total population of about 5 million inhabitants, this cross-border territory shows good potential to draw on its growing economic and cultural interlinkages, as well as its long history of institutional collaboration, to build a stronger, more sustainable and more inclusive megaregion. The report encourages local authorities to identify a common vision for their shared future development and to take concrete action towards implementing it. It also calls for national governments to tackle the challenges of cross-border transport planning to facilitate greener mobility and more inclusive labour markets.

The Nordic region is at the forefront of the global growth of electric mobility. The Nordic Electric Vehicle Outlook (NEVO) aims to identify and discuss recent developments of electric mobility in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The report assesses the current status of the electric car market, the deployment of charging infrastructure, and the integration with the electricity grid at country level. It analyses the role of European, national, and local policy frameworks in supporting these developments. The analysis also provides insights on consumer behaviour and includes an outlook on the progress of electric mobility in the Nordic region up to 2030.NEVO has been developed in co-operation between the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Nordic Energy Research. It builds on the long-standing IEA engagement in the area of electric mobility, including the co-ordination of the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) and the hosting of the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technology Collaboration Programme.