Annotation Regional Policies in OECD Countries provides a handy reference guide to regional policies and a broader analysis of trends in regional policies based on comparable information. It is the first systematic, comparative analysis of OECD countries' regional policies.The report addresses fundamental regional policy concerns, such as: problem recognition
the objectives of regional policy
the legal/institutional framework
the urban/rural framework
budget structures
and the governance mechanisms linking national and sub-national governments as well as sectors.It begins with an overview of the regional policy today. This is followed by country profiles covering the 31 OECD members. The profiles share a common conceptual framework, allowing countries to see how their experiences measure up. The report also contains several annexes, which cover some of the countries that are candidates for accession to the OECD or with which the OECD has enhanced engagement. The annexes also cover the key topics of cross-border cooperation and trends in urban-rural linkages, especially efforts to control urban sprawl.This report will help countries to better understand regional policies and to formulate and diffuse horizontal policy recommendations. The analysis suggests an important role for regional policies in shaping sustainable endogenous development, in particular well-developed governance mechanisms to better respond to the different opportunities and demands of regions and to improve policy efficiency.