Publications & Documents

This report looks at efforts by Portugal’s Court of Auditors (Tribunal de Contas, TdC) to make better use of data and analytics in assessing risks in public procurement. It identifies key financial and non-financial risks to refine the TdC’s audit selection process and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the public procurement system. The report provides recommendations for improving and maintaining data-driven risk assessments that align with the TdC’s Digital Transformation Strategy. The report also includes a data-mapping exercise and data reliability assessment in preparation for the next phase of the project, which includes developing a working model to detect procurement risks and irregularities using real-world data.

This report analyses the main actions taken by the Ecuadorian government to bring together the public and private sectors, academia, civil society organisations and citizens in promoting public integrity. Based on this analysis, the report offers recommendations to help Ecuador foster a culture of integrity across all of Ecuadorian society.

This report describes the ongoing reforms related to the centralisation and professionalisation of the public procurement function in Lithuania. It provides the government of Lithuania with recommendations through an action plan for improving efficiency in Lithuania's public procurement system.

This report presents the results of the 2022 OECD Green Public Procurement (GPP) Survey, to which 38 countries (OECD Member and accession candidate countries) responded. The aim of the survey was to better understand how public procurement, a significant economic lever, is being used to generate environmental benefits. The report is organized around four areas: green public procurement policy and strategic framework, public-private interactions on green public procurement, the monitoring and the evaluation of green public procurement, and building capacity and support for green public procurement. Developments in GPP since the survey was completed in 2022 are included in the country-specific factsheets annexed to the report.

Public procurement measurement frameworks are essential, both to assess progress and achievements periodically and consistently and to identify gaps in progress against objectives and targets. This report assesses the public procurement performance measurement framework in Hungary and provides recommendations for its improvement. It also explores aspects to consider in developing a public procurement measurement framework and communicating the results of the framework.

A circular economy keeps the value of resources in the economy for longer, extends the useful lifespan of products and reduces waste, thereby reducing environmental and climatic pressures and increasing domestic competitiveness. Italy is among the leading European actors in transitioning to a circular economy. Its adoption of the National Strategy for the Circular Economy in 2022 reinforced the country’s ambition to rapidly shift from linear to circular modes of production and consumption. Among the envisioned measures, the national strategy calls for a stronger use of economic instruments to achieve a more coherent and effective policy mix. This report identifies opportunities for the enhanced use of economic instruments to support the circular economy in Italy. Part I of this report takes stock of the Italian policy landscape, compares it to international practices and recommends seven policy reforms for further consideration. Part II contains an in-depth analysis of three policy instruments that could reduce demand for virgin materials and promote a shift to secondary materials. These instruments include a virgin materials tax on construction minerals, a reduced VAT rate for products with recycled content and corporate tax credits to promote the use of secondary materials.

Public sector remuneration systems are shaped by an intricate interaction of administrative culture, economic conditions, and political systems. This paper discusses critical considerations to bear in mind when designing, planning and implementing reforms of public service wage systems. It explores key concepts such as job evaluation, pay structures, performance-related pay, market analysis for competitive pay levels and wage bill planning. It provides guidance on the process of reforming public sector salary systems to enhance their competitiveness, equity, transparency and affordability. The paper offers insights drawn from the reform efforts of several EU Member States and SIGMA partners in the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, presenting real-life examples and updated guidelines for effective, sustainable salary system changes. The primary focus is on reforms of wage systems within central government administrations, acknowledging the complexity arising from diverse classifications of civil service and public employees, and the varying scope and structure of salary systems. This paper serves as a practical guide, presenting options along with their advantages and disadvantages to aid policymakers in aligning reforms with their national public administration context and strategies.

This report assesses the modernisation of the justice sector in Portugal. It examines the country's progress towards a people-centred justice system and a modernised justice sector and offers a range of recommendations to sustain and amplify this progress. It highlights the importance of adopting continuous assessments of legal needs, designing and delivering services with a people-centred purpose; upskilling the justice sector to meet the demands of a digitally enabled and people-centred justice system; enhancing the availability, quality, and use of data and statistical systems; and using digital technologies and data to improve the accessibility, efficiency, and responsiveness of the justice system in Portugal.

The global risk landscape is rapidly evolving due to interconnected economies, societies, and technologies. To manage emerging critical risks, governments must anticipate, understand, and address these risks, which are transboundary, highly uncertain, and systemic. This Framework, supporting the OECD Recommendation on the Governance of Critical Risks, outlines a seven-step process for managing such risks. The steps include identifying and assessing risks, sharing information, evaluating management maturity, and developing strategic recommendations. Exercises are conducted to validate gaps and proposed solutions, while strategic plans ensure flexibility and adaptability in response to risks. Implementation integrates these emerging risks into traditional risk management processes, fostering resilience against current and future challenges. It provides a structured process for governments to validate identified gaps in knowledge, authorities and capabilities needed to manage emerging risks and to validate plans for building-in flexibility and adaptability to unforeseen or poorly understood risks.