The Rise of Pro-Productivity Institutions: A Review of Recent Developments

It also ical of many advanced economies, with lit- recommended a long-term perspective on tle scope for further expansion in educa- infrastructure spending, and improvements tional achievement, and a growing focus on in the planning code and the resourcing the quality of education, skills development of planning authorities (National Compet- and the allocation of skills across the econ- itiveness. [...] Germany pointed of the role of soft skills in the transforma- to the need to improve equality of opportu- tion of the economy. [...] Aus- Belgium noted that it was important tralia recommended to establish consumer to take advantage of the momentum of rights over consumer’s own data; the re- the COVID-19 crisis to accelerate the digi- moval of barriers to the use of public data; tal transition by encouraging investment in adoption of a copyright law with fair use these technologies and the necessary com- exceptions; and removal. [...] The bulk of the work thus far emerging from the commissions reflect the has focused on exploring the pro- results of long-standing work on produc- ductivity of labour and capital and tivity and structural reform. [...] In Australia and New Zealand, the tralian government have accepted and im- topics for inquiries related to productivity plemented many of the recommendations are largely set by the government, although by the Australian Productivity Commis- both commissions also engage in their own sion in the past, notably in the areas of research.