FREE

Authors: Tālis J. Putniņš and Arnis Sauka, BICEPS This policy brief summarises the results and implications of a recent study of the size and determinants of the shadow economies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The results suggest that the shadow economy in Latvia in 2010 is considerably larger than in neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania. While [...]

Author: Irina Denisova, NES/CEFIR Russia is known as a persistent leader in terms of high adult mortality rates among the middle income countries. Unhealthy lifestyle, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have been confirmed as major causes of the high mortality rates in Russia. Each of these causes are estimated to cost about 10 years of [...]

Author: Michal Myck, CenEA On October 9, Polish voters will decide who will form the new government. In an analysis of tax and benefit reforms introduced over the last two terms of Parliament, the independent Centre for Economic Analysis, CenEA, examines who gained and who lost on the implemented changes. The reforms that have been implemented [...]

Author: Maria Perrotta, SITE. In a world of perfect markets, where prices are “right”, consumers’ choice should, with few exceptions, be limited only by their budget constraints. But in the case of agricultural products, the “right” prices are not in place. One reason is that producers in this sector do not bear the costs for [...]

Authors: Elena Besedina and Oleksandr Shepotylo, KEI. Given Ukraine’s geographical location between Europe and Russia, the country often has to make difficult choices in its foreign policy. Trade policy is not an exception. In particular, Ukraine is currently negotiating a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU, which is fostering hopes of joining it in [...]

On September 5, 2011, we launch the FREE Policy Brief Series, a joint initiative by seven leading research institutes on transition and emerging markets. The aim is to provide short and informative analyses on current economic policy challenges based on academic research relevant to countries in Eastern Europe and in emerging economies more generally.

Author: Torbjörn Becker, SITE. Twenty years after transition began and the merits of “shock therapy” were argued the most hotly, (former) transition countries are hard hit by global shocks originating in Western market economies. Although discussions now focus on troubles in Western developed countries, countries in Eastern Europe and the CIS were particularly hard hit [...]

Author: Sergei Guriev, NES/CEFIR. After the 2008-09 crisis, Russia is facing a new set of challenges. The pre-crisis sources of growth have been exhausted. In order to implement its growth potential and catch up with OECD countries, Russia must improve its investment and business climate. Although the reform agenda has been repeatedly discussed, it is [...]

Author: Mykhaylo Salnykov, BEROC. Energy security is a complex phenomenon incorporating a variety of economic, social and environmental aspects. This brief outlines fundamental aspects of energy security in Belarus that decision makers, policy analysts and the general public should be aware of when trying to understand the consequences for energy security of existing and suggested [...]