During the crisis of 2009, the region's countries built up experience with labour-market policy instruments that limit the impact of labour demand on employment. As stated previously, promoting the labour-market integration of young people is a key challenge. Productive development policies would boost productive job creation, especially through the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and would help reduce the wide productivity gaps that prevail in the region. To achieve this, governments would have to promote the development of innovation processes and the take-up of new technologies, especially in relation to information and communication technologies (ICTs).