Mandate :    The TDPC was created by the Resolution [C(98)198/FINAL] adopted by the Council on 20th January 1999 [C/M(99)1].

Resolution of the Council concerning the Renewal of the Mandate of the Territorial Development Policy Committee set out in annex I to document [C(2004)114] adopted by the Council on 8th July 2004 at its 1091st session [C(2004)114/CORR1 and C/M(2004)17, item 216].

Resolution of the Council concerning the Renewal of the Mandate of the Territorial Development Policy Committee set out in annex I to document [C(2009)126] adopted by the Council on 22 October at its 1027th Session [C/M(2009)21, item 242].

Resolution of the Council concerning the Renewal of the Mandate of the Territorial Development Policy Committee and renaming the Committee “Regional Development Policy Committee” set out in annex I to document [C(2014)126] adopted by the Council on 17 December 2014 at its1304th Session [C/M(2014)13, item 214].

Extension of the Mandate of the Regional Development Policy Committee for one year until 31 December 2020, as set out in the Annex to document C(2019)84 adopted by the Council on 2 July 2019 at its 1399th session [C/M(2019)12, item 121].

Resolution of the Council renewing and revising the Mandate of the Regional Development Policy Committee set out in Annex A to document [C(2020)103] adopted by the Council on 16 October 2020 C/M(2020)6, item 134] by written procedure.

Resolution of the Council [C(2020)103 and C/M(2020)3, item 134]

RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL CONCERNING THE MANDATE OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE

“THE COUNCIL,

HAVING REGARD to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960; 

HAVING REGARD to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;

HAVING REGARD to the Revised Resolution of the Council on Partnerships in OECD Bodies [C(2012)100/REV1/FINAL];

HAVING REGARD to the Resolution of the Council concerning the Creation of a Territorial Development Policy Committee [C(98)198/FINAL and C/M(99)1/PROV, Item 17], renamed the Regional Development Policy Committee in 2014, whose mandate was last revised in 2014 [C(2014)126 and C/M(2014)13, Item 214]; and extended in July 2019 [C(2019)84 and C/M(2019)12];

HAVING REGARD to the recommendations of the In-depth Evaluation of the Regional Development Policy Committee [C(2020)10 and C/M(2020)2, Item 16];

HAVING REGARD to the principal conclusions of the meeting of the Regional Development Policy Committee at Ministerial level in March 2019 CFE/RDPC/MIN(2019)5];

RECOGNISING that increasing trust in the ability of local, regional and national governments to regulate markets, manage public finances, deliver the services that citizens expect and ensure access to employment and economic opportunities for citizens in all parts of the national territory are key elements of a sustainable growth strategy;

SEIZING the considerable opportunity for regional development policy to promote long-term, sustainable and inclusive growth and resilient societies, while addressing major national and global policy challenges, such as addressing inequalities across places and people, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting green growth, adapting to climate change, accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy (including “just” transition policies), leveraging the potential of digitalisation for all places, investing in skills, dealing with demographic issues (such as ageing and migration), and enhancing the effectiveness of public investment and the quality of public services in both urban and rural areas;

ACKNOWLEDGING that public investment and many public services are a shared responsibility within and across levels of government and with stakeholders;

RECOGNISING that Global agendas such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris (climate) agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the New Urban Agenda, have emphasised the critical role of local and regional governments to achieve global targets and leave no-one behind;

RECALLING that Ministers agreed that mobilising regions, cities, rural areas, private operators and civil society around place-based policies can generate opportunities for advancing a growth model that enhances well-being for all people and places, for promoting the digitalisation of the economy in all places, and for encouraging the adoption of innovative multi-level governance and finance tools for productive, inclusive and sustainable societies;

ACKNOWLEDGING that the Committee provides a unique forum for Members, non-Members and other relevant stakeholders to share innovative approaches, best practices and views on regional development policy design and implementation and to improve the understanding of economic, social, environmental and institutional trends relevant to regional development;

HAVING REGARD to the proposed revision of the mandate of the Regional Development Policy Committee [C(2020)103];

DECIDES:

The Regional Development Policy Committee is renewed with the following revised mandate:

I. Objectives

Overarching objectives

The overarching objectives of the Committee are to:

i)Serve as the premier international forum for senior-level policy makers to identify, discuss, develop, and disseminate a vision of regional development policy that is place-based, multi-level, multi-sectoral, evidence-based, innovative, forward-looking and adapted to evolving country priorities in a global context of uncertainty.

ii)Enhance well-being and living standards in all region types, from cities of all size to different rural areas, and improve their contribution to national performance and more inclusive, sustainable and resilient societies, by promoting the design and implementation of policies that are adapted to the relevant territorial scales or geographies, and that focus on the main factors that: sustain competitive advantages; generate stronger, fairer, resilient and liveable regional economies as well as effective and innovative governance at all levels of government.

Mid-level objectives

The mid-level objectives of the Committee are to:

i)Improve regional development and attractiveness in terms of economic growth, productivity, employment and well-being by: diagnosing the characteristics, challenges and opportunities of different region types; comparing and analysing trends in regional performance outcomes, in local finance, and in regional development policies; and promoting understanding of the linkages and complementarities among different types of regions.

ii)Enhance the capacity of regional development polices to address challenges and opportunities such as the enduring consequences of economic, health and environmental crises and disasters, growing inequalities across places and people, transition to a low-carbon economy and adaptation to climate change, transition to a digital economy, ageing, gender equality and migration. This should also contribute to national and global agendas in key areas such as sustainable development, innovation, the internationalisation of regional economies, green and inclusive growth respectful of local economies, effective, equitable and sustainable integration into the globalisation, and the building of more resilient societies.

iii)Support long-term strategic planning and foresight activities that account for the regional dimensions of demographic change, environmental challenges, large-scale disasters, climate change and other megatrends, and integrate them with public investment decisions

iv)Leverage the economic, social and environmental opportunities of metropolitan areas and cities of all sizes to drive innovation, sustainable development and well-being and build smart cities through comprehensive national urban policy frameworks that integrate housing, land use and transport, support the transition to a low-carbon and circular economy, build resilience and empower stakeholders.

v)Support the development of rural areas through rural development policy frameworks with a focus on delivering well-being to rural citizens, promoting innovation, economic development and competitiveness, and resilience, fostering rural-urban partnerships, improving access to services, land use, and sustainable use and management of natural resources.

vi)Develop robust databases of subnational indicators and spatially differentiated analysis to support regional policy design and evaluation, and expand the range of indicators and types of analysis, notably by leveraging data innovation and statistical modernisation.

vii)Improve governance and finance mechanisms within and across levels of government for more efficient and effective public investment and place-based public service delivery to people and businesses, including health, education, water and transport, as well as for more resilient regional development and trust, by developing implementation tools and policy advice at the relevant scale.

viii)Promote dialogue between the OECD and central governments with subnational government leaders, often responsible for policy action, including Indigenous leaders, as well as financial institutions, private operators and social partners, given the importance of such dialogue for achieving better regional development outcomes in an uncertain environment.

II. Working Methods

To achieve these objectives, the Committee will:

i)Produce thematic analytical reports, and peer reviews in specific countries, regions, cities and rural areas. Develop policy and multi-level governance tools that enable all levels of government to better fit policies to places.

ii)Develop user-friendly material such as policy highlights, videos, data visualisation and online tools for better dissemination to networks. Disseminate its work via websites and social media as well as through regular events involving actors from national and subnational governments, and a broader range of stakeholders.

iii)Create opportunities for exchange of best practices to help Members and non-Members design and implement coherent regional development policies on a national and international basis.

iv)Develop and maintain high-quality and relevant statistical indicators to support evidence-based policy making, in particular by providing data that enables policy action at the relevant scale.

III. Co-ordination arrangements

In carrying out its work, the Committee shall:

i)Collaborate closely with other relevant bodies of the Organisation on cross-cutting issues related to regional development, including on investment, governance, innovation digitalisation, environment, employment, migration, housing, and agriculture.

ii)Co-operate actively with other international organisations in respect to regional development.

iii)Consider participation by non-Members and engage in co-operation activities of mutual benefit with non-Members, either individually or through regional networks in line with the Global Relations Strategy.

iv)Consider the views and input of Business at OECD (BIAC), and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD, and promote partnerships with major stakeholders in the field of regional development policy, as well as with the civil society and academia.

The mandate of the Regional Development Policy Committee shall remain in force until 31 December 2025.”