OECD published 13 February 2007 "Going for Growth 2007"

Going for Growth is an OECD flagship publication alongside the OECD Economic Outlook and OECD Economic Surveys. First published in 2005, this annual periodical provides an overview of structural policy developments in OECD countries from a comparative perspective. Based on a broad set of indicators of structural policies and performance, this edition takes stock of the recent progress made in implementing policy reforms and identifies, for each OECD country, five policy priorities to lift growth. It calls for reforms in areas such as product and labour market regulation, taxation, pension, income support, health and education to boost labour productivity and employment.

Given that high unemployment and low labour force participation remain a major preoccupation in many Continental european countries, measures to improve the labour market performance account for the bulk of policy priorities in these economies. For low-income countries, as well as in Japan and Switzerland, raising productivity is the main challenge and hence priorities tend to focus more on liberalisation of product markets, especially in network industries and services. English-speaking countires have generally good labour market performance, but share in common the need to raise the skills level, in particular via an improvement of secondary education.

Further information: Ilkka Mytty, +33 1 4524 7214

Going for Growth 2007 - Finland Country Note