This publication was produced by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director, as part of the programme of work of the RDPC. The financial contributions and support from the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) are gratefully acknowledged.
The project was co-ordinated by Jenny Vyas, Policy Analyst, under the supervision of Enrique Garcilazo, Head of the Regional and Rural Policy Unit in the Regional Development and Multi-level Governance Division in CFE, led by Dorothée Allain-Dupré. The report benefitted from comments by Nadim Ahmad, Deputy Director of OECD/CFE.
The France case study was compiled by Marc Bournisien de Valmont with input provided by Majda Eddaifi and supervised by Claire Charbit, Head of the Regional Attraction and Migrant Integration Unit. The Germany case study was compiled by Lisanne Raderschall (OECD/CFE at the time of drafting) with substantial input from Jasper Hesse and Joséphine Levedag (OECD/CFE at the time of drafting) and supervised by Enrique Garcilazo. The Italy case study was compiled by Paolo Rosso (external expert) with substantial input from Stefano Barbieri and supervised by Enrique Garcilazo. The Slovenia case study was led by Jenny Vyas with input from Joséphine Levedag and supervised by Enrique Garcilazo. The futures and foresight analysis seminars were led by Nick Balcom Raleigh and Riel Miller (both external experts) with input from Betty-Ann Bryce and Dexter Docherty (OECD/OSG) and supervised by Enrique Garcilazo. Broader contributions to the report, including data analysis, were given by Miguel Carlos Manjón Antolín (external expert), Ron Boschma (external expert), Andrea Colombo (OECD/CFE at the time of drafting), Gareth Hitchings (OECD/CFE at the time of drafting), and Felix Winkelmayer. The report also greatly benefitted from contributions from Joshua Polchar (OECD/GOV) and Michelle Marshalian.
The OECD wishes to extend its thanks to the DG REGIO and, in particular, to Catherine Wendt, Head of Smart and Sustainable Growth Unit, and Karolina Tilman, Policy Analyst from the Smart and Sustainable Growth Unit. Special thanks are also extended to Peter Berkowitz, Director for Policy.
The OECD is grateful to all representatives from the French, German, Italian and Slovenian national and regional governments for their collaboration, including Aurore Colnel (Head of the programme of Territoires d’industrie at the Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires) and Luc Faraldi (International Political co‑ordinator and RDPC delegate) from France; Cornelius Peters (Thünen Institut and WPRUR delegate) from Germany; Albino Caporale (Director, Directorate for Production Activities, Tuscany), Daniela Storti (Senior Researcher at Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria) and Sabrina Lucatelli (Vice-Chair of the WPRUR) from Italy; and Tatjane Buzeti (State Secretary Responsible for Agriculture, Food and Fishery), Andreja Komel (Undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food), Marija Čebular Zajec (Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology) and Peter Wostner (Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, Slovenia, and Chair of WPRUR) from Slovenia. Further thanks are extended to representatives from academia, the private sector and civil society participating in the case study regions from the French regions (départements) of Gers and Tarn-et-Garonne, the German regions of Hochsauerland, Ostprignitz-Ruppin and Tuttlingen, the Italian provinces of Arezzo and Grosseto in Tuscany and the Slovenian regions of Goriška, Koroška and Podravje.
Finally, thanks are extended to Bridget Donavan, Pilar Philip and Roxana Glavanov for preparing the report for publication as well as to Eleonore Morena (external expert) for copy-editing and formatting the report.