OECD Global Forum on Local Development

Global Trade, Local Opportunities: Jobs, Skills and Entrepreneurship Across Borders

27 - 28 May 2026
Maastricht, the Netherlands

ABOUT THE EVENT

The 2026 Annual Meeting of the Forum will explore how communities can navigate shifting trade dynamics to seize local opportunities and drive growth. International trade is a powerful driver of local productivity and job creation, but the benefits have been uneven – and recent shocks have exposed vulnerabilities. As trade flows are reshaped by technological change, geopolitical tensions, environmental pressures and supply disruptions, local communities face new risks — but also fresh opportunities to reinvent their economies. The Meeting will spotlight strategies by the private, public and non-profit sectors to support workers through transition, strengthen locally rooted production in strategic sectors, and help communities stay open, competitive and resilient in a rapidly changing global economy.

The Meeting is structured around four pillars:

PILLAR I: Leveraging data-driven insights to identify risks and opportunities for local labour markets
PILLAR II: Adapting local development strategies in an evolving global economy
PILLAR III: Facilitating upskilling and worker transitions amid changing industry needs
PILLAR IV: Enabling local business and entrepreneurs in new markets and value chains

PROGRAMME

With its focus on exchange and networking, the Forum’s Annual Meeting provides the type of experience that cannot be replicated online. This year we are integrating even more innovative formats, moderation styles, and activities into the offerings of Forum. The sessions at the 2026 Annual Meeting will be designed to be as informative, interactive and engaging as possible. Stay tuned to learn more about our plenaries, solution labs and study tours!

Discover the draft event agenda

Why Maastricht?

Maastricht is the capital of Limburg, which sits at a unique crossroads in Europe, bordering Belgium and Germany. Once defined by its coal-mining and heavy industry, the region has reinvented itself as a tri-national hub of innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.

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WHAT MAKES THIS EVENT UNIQUE?

The event bridges high-level policy conversations, hands-on deep dives, and site visits to help you gain practical, actionable ideas. Whether you’re brainstorming in a deep-dive session or visiting a local incubator, the experience is built to energize, inspire, and connect. Insights and experiences shared by participants have a life beyond the event – they feed OECD work throughout the year, surfacing as good practices in reports and informing Committee discussions and high-level meetings.

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Who can you meet there?

From ministers to local leaders and young entrepreneurs with big ideas, this OECD platform brings together a community connected by a shared passion for driving development at the local level. Explore the agenda and familiarize yourself with fellow Forum-goers by activating the networking function in your profile.

What will you take away?

The Annual Meeting of the OECD Global Forum on Local Development allows you to gain actionable ideas by engaging in high-level policy conversations, solution labs, and immersive site visits. Whether you are brainstorming hands-on approaches in one our solutions labs or visiting an innovation campus to see projects in action, the experience is designed to energise, inspire, and connect you with others. With the latest OECD data and analysis underpinning every discussion, you will exchange views with peers from the public, private, and third sectors while testing your ideas against the best available evidence.

Event venue

The MECC

Forum 100, 6229 GV Maastricht, Netherlands

https://www.mecc.nl/en/

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Join our partnership programme

Create long-standing relationships with the OECD by collaborating on research, building your network and increasing your visibility through the Local Development Forum Partners Programme.

PLACES Live: Local Initiatives Marketplace

Read all about the call for Local Initiatives Marketplace

Do you have a programme or project that deserves international recognition? In this exhibition-style session, participants can tell the story of how their local programmes, policies or initiatives are shaping the communities to an audience of hundreds of policymakers, practitioners, and experts.

Read all about the call for Local Initiatives Marketplace