Narrow Your Choices

Refine By Topic

Refine By Series

Refine By Language

Refine By Date

—

Refine By IMF Taxonomy

Refine By JEL Taxonomy

Refine by LOC Taxonomy

Refine By THEMA Taxonomy

  • Print
  • Save

Europe > Latvia, Republic of

You are looking at 51 - 60 of 213 items for

  • Type: Journal Issue x
Clear All Modify Search
Cover IMF Working Papers
Exports in a Tariff-Free Environment: What Structural Reforms Matter? Evidence from the European Union Single Market
Jesmin Rahman
,
Ara Stepanyan
,
Jessie Yang
, and
Mr. Li Zeng
How do countries enhance their exports of goods in a largely tariff-free environment? Our investigation of export performance of new member states in the European Union single market, which provides a natural control for barrier-free environment, points to the importance of structural reforms, particularly in the areas of higher education, skills upgrade, wage structure’s ability to provide incentives to work and foreign investment environment. In addition, establishing links with supply chains, which in addition to the above-mentioned reforms also depend on better institutions and infrastructure, are important. The analysis in the paper shows that new member states are at varying levels of quality and integration, which highlights the need for country-specific policy priorities. Services trade, which is subject to significant non-tariff barriers in the EU market even after the implementation of the Services Directive, shows considerable room for growth given the comparative advantage of some of the new member states.
Keywords:
WP; export; country; export quality; single market; supply chain; Export integration; structural reform; comparative advantage; European Union; new member states; exports to the EU; quality improvement; EU single market; export products; Exports; Service exports; Export performance; Foreign direct investment; Human capital; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Latvia: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper examines the prospects for Latvia continuing to rapidly reduce its distance from the productivity frontier. It looks at the empirical record of countries that have in the past attained a similar relative level of income to that of Latvia at present, to gauge the plausibility of the forecast for Latvia’s medium term GDP growth of about 4 percent per year. It highlights that more than one-third of the countries reaching a similar stage of development managed to sustain higher subsequent growth. The paper also confirms the importance of investment and structural reforms for Latvia’s future convergence, using a sector-level analysis.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; employment ratio; growth decomposition; multifactor productivity convergence; employment growth; extent emigration; productivity frontier; Migration; Productivity; Labor productivity; Employment; Eastern Europe; Europe; Africa; Baltics; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Latvia: Staff Report for the 2015 Article IV Consultation
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This 2015 Article IV Consultation highlights that Latvia’s strong recovery has recently slowed in the face of sluggish growth in the euro area and deteriorating economic conditions in Russia amid rising geopolitical tensions. GDP growth decelerated to 2.4 percent in 2014 reflecting weak demand and the prolonged closure of a steel manufacturer. In 2015, the weak external environment, particularly the sharp slowdown in Russia, will continue to weigh on exports and investment. This is expected to be mitigated, but not fully offset, by higher disposable income owing to lower oil prices and robust real wages, the reopening of the steel manufacturer, and the accommodative monetary stance of the European Central Bank.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; GDP; current account; Latvia; euro; financial asset; executive board assessment; consumer price inflation; exchange rate; fiscal policy; liability position vis-à-vis nonresident; headline inflation; structural unemployment; Income; Credit; Exports; Baltics
Cover Policy Papers
Current Challenges in Revenue Mobilization - Improving Tax Compliance
International Monetary Fund
This paper addresses core challenges that all tax administrations face in dealing with noncompliance—which are now receiving renewed attention. Long a priority in developing countries, assuring strong compliance has acquired greater priority in countries facing intensified revenue needs, and is critical for fairness and statebuilding. Series: Policy Papers
Keywords:
PP; tax administrator; gap estimate; sole trader; CIT tax gap; output tax; refund claim; tax administration matter; tax service; taxable income; VAT gap; compliance gap; tax administration; developing country; income tax; administration system; tax compliance; Tax gap; Tax administration core functions; Personal income; Value-added tax; Sub-Saharan Africa
Cover IMF Working Papers
Does Supply or Demand Drive the Credit Cycle? Evidence from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe
Greetje Everaert
,
Ms. Natasha X Che
,
Ms. Nan Geng
,
Bertrand Gruss
,
Gregorio Impavido
,
Miss Yinqiu Lu
,
Christian Saborowski
,
Mr. Jerome Vandenbussche
, and
Mr. Li Zeng
Countries in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) experienced a credit boom-bust cycle in the last decade. This paper analyzes the roles of demand and supply factors in explaining this credit cycle. Our analysis first focuses on a large sample of bank-level data on credit growth for the entire CESEE region. We complement this analysis by five case studies (Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, and Romania). Our results of the panel data analysis indicate that supply factors, on average and relative to demand factors, gained in importance in explaining credit growth in the post-crisis period. In the case studies, we find a similar result for Lithuania and Montenegro, but the other three case studies point to the fact that country experiences were heterogeneous.
Keywords:
WP; credit growth; demand and supply; credit demand; credit supply; parent bank; Credit; Eastern Europe; Disequilibrium Model; bank characteristic; excess supply; asset quality; excess demand; credit to household; demand and supply factor; bank funding; demand development; Consumer credit; Credit booms; Loans; Bank credit; Global; Baltics
Cover IMF Response to the Financial and Economic Crisis
IMF Response to the Financial and Economic Crisis
International Monetary Fund. Independent Evaluation Office

Abstract

This evaluation assesses the IMF’s response to the global financial and economic crisis, focusing on the period September 2008 through 2013. It assesses the IMF’s actions to help contain the crisis and navigate a global recovery, assist individual economies to cope with the impact of the crisis, and identify and warn about future risks.

Keywords:
IEOR; IEO; IMF surveillance; IMF staff survey; IMF performance; resource mobilization strategy; lending toolkit; IMF MD; IMF-financed activity; Financial sector; Fiscal stimulus; Crisis management; Fiscal consolidation; Global; Europe; Central and Eastern Europe; IMF financial support; IMF activity; IMF flagship report
Cover IMF Working Papers
Conventional and Insidious Macroeconomic Balance-Sheet Crises
Mr. Bas B. Bakker
and
Mr. Leslie Lipschitz
This paper describes the anatomy of two types of balance-sheet macroeconomic crises. Conventional balance-sheet crises are triggered by external imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They typically occur after capital inflows have led to a substantial build up of foreign currency exposure. Insidious crises are triggered by internal imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They occur in high-growth economies when an initially equilibrating shift in relative prices and resources and credit in favor of the nontraded sector overshoots equilibrium. The paper argues that policymakers are now better able to forestall conventional crises, but they are much less capable of early detection and avoidance of insidious crises.
Keywords:
WP; asset; price; current account; deficit; exchange rate; interest rate; crises; balance sheets; business cycles; capital flows; construction boom; emerging market economy; foreign exchange; FX assets; capital account; Capital inflows; Financial statements; Return on investment; Current account deficits; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Unemployment and Structural Unemployment in the Baltics
Mr. Christian H Ebeke
and
Greetje Everaert
While the unemployment rate in the Baltics has fallen sharply from its crisis-peaks, it remains close to double digits. This paper estimates the structural component of the jobless rate in the three Baltic countries and analyzes its causes. Our main findings are that the current still elevated levels of unemployment mostly reflect structural factors. We then turn to why structural unemployment is so high. This paper points to skill mismatches, high tax wedges, and unemployment and inactivity traps as potential causes.
Keywords:
WP; Unemployment; Structural Unemployment; Baltics; Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania; NAIRU estimate; NAIRU unemployment; unemployment gap; core CPI; internal migration; crisis dummy; structural unemployment rate estimate; Unemployment rate; Labor taxes; Labor markets
Cover IMF Working Papers
Progress Towards External Adjustment in the Euro Area Periphery and the Baltics
Mr. Joong S Kang
and
Mr. Jay C Shambaugh
The euro area periphery countries and the Baltic countries, which had large current account deficits in the run-up to the crisis, needed adjustment of relative prices to achieve both internal and external balances. Thus far, tangible progress has been made through lower wages and/or higher productivity relative to trading partners (“internal devaluation”), which contributed to narrowing current account deficits and shifting output towards the tradables sector. While some early adjusters cut wages more rapidly followed by productivity improvement, others have only slowly improved productivity largely through labor shedding. This adjustment for most countries has come along with a substantial recession as the unit labor cost improvement has largely come from falling employment and much of the current account improvement from import compression. Going forward, these countries still need to generate growing tradables sector employment and to continue adjustment to prevent imbalances from returning as output gaps close.
Keywords:
WP; IMF staff calculation; current account; cost; Current account deficit; Internal devaluation; Competitiveness; Unit labor cost; output recovery; private sector; labor shedding; ULC peak; Labor costs; Wages; Employment; Current account deficits; Productivity; Baltics; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Latvia: Staff Report for the 2014 Article IV Consultation
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
Latvia entered the euro area in January 2014 with the fastest rate of growth in Europe. The 2014 Article IV Consultation highlights that a slowdown in investment and exports was partly compensated by robust consumption demand, supported by rising real wages, bringing GDP growth in 2013 to 4.1 percent. Strong job creation reduced the unemployment rate to 11.3 percent by end-2013, close to its structural level. Consumer price inflation fell to an average of about zero in 2013, mainly owing to weakening energy prices. The 2013 general government deficit outturn of 1.0 percent of GDP was below the target of 1.4 percent.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; euro; Latvia; structural unemployment; balance of payments; deficit; GDP; requirement; non-resident deposits; sovereign bond bond issue; NRD banks' capital adequacy ratio; financial asset; consumer price inflation; Labor markets; Credit; Real wages; Baltics; Europe