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Europe > Latvia, Republic of

You are looking at 1 - 9 of 9 items for :

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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Latvia: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper analyzes labor market challenges in Latvia. In the boom period leading up to the global financial crisis, the economy experienced widespread labor shortages and soaring wage growth. The bursting of the bubble led to a deep recession, high unemployment, and a sharp contraction in wages. With the economy now in its eighth year of recovery, Latvia is once again experiencing a tightening labor market—a situation exacerbated by unfavorable demographic trends. Latvia’s future prosperity will depend critically on whether it is able to address its labor market challenges. Employment protection legislation (EPL) is relatively restrictive. EPL refers to the procedures and costs associated with hiring and dismissing workers. Theory suggests that overly restrictive EPL reduces both job creation and job destruction and may slow productivity growth by raising labor adjustment costs for firms. Latvia’s tightening labor market calls for reforms that make the most of the country’s human resources. Reforms should aim to tackle barriers to employment, encourage more labor market participation, help Latvia’s citizens build new skills, and stem the decline in the working-age population.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; wage; Latvia; worker; minimum wage; wage growth; wage inequality; envelope wage; wage adjustment; wage setting; Aging; Wages; Labor markets; Western Europe; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Ukraine: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper analyzes the extent of corruption in Ukraine compared with other countries. The level of corruption in Ukraine is exceptionally high. This could severely undermine economic growth prospects by hindering private investment. Reducing corruption is therefore essential to speed economic convergence with the rest of Europe. Regional comparisons help identify best practices in reducing corruption. The Ukrainian authorities have recently adopted key measures that follow some of these best practices. The country is, however, facing several challenges, including the concentration of political and economic power in a small group of people, which may hamper effective anticorruption efforts.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Ukraine; NBU Council; pension; pension benefit; pension system; ICRG corruption index; law enforcement agency; corruption effort; Pension spending; Corruption; Aging; Retirement; Inflation targeting; Europe; Eastern Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Estonia: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. European Dept.
This Selected Issues paper analyzes income convergence and medium-term growth potential for Estonia. Estonia’s potential growth is projected to average some 3 percent over the next five years and 2.75 percent over the next two decades, implying continued income convergence with European Union levels, albeit at only half its historical pace. A number of policy enhancements could lift growth above this central projection. These include a greater operational policy focus on raising productivity growth, scaling up a number of envisaged pro-growth programs, supporting the upgrading of traditional industries as a second leg of innovation policy, and fully restoring Estonia’s high investment.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; TFP growth; labor force; potential GDP; structural unemployment; capital stock; unemployment rate; Total factor productivity; Aging; Productivity; Western Europe; Europe; Central and Eastern Europe; Global; growth record; FDI inflow; R&D expenditure; staff team of the International Monetary Fund; qualification mismatch; Labor force participation
Cover IMF Working Papers
Some Uncomfortable Arithmetic Regarding Europe’s Public Finances
Mrs. Delia Velculescu
Traditional fiscal indicators focused on measures of current deficits and debt miss the potentially important implications of current policies for future public finances. This could be problematic, including in the case of Europe, where population aging is expected to pose additional fiscal costs not captured by such indicators. To better gauge the state of public finances in the EU27 countries, this paper derives forward-looking fiscal measures of intertemporal net worth both directly from the European Commission’s Aging Working Group’s long-run indicators and using a comprehensive public-sector balance sheet approach. These measures could be used as an "early warning" mechanism and also as a communication device with the public. Current estimates indicate that, on existing policies, the intertemporal net worth of the EU27 is deeply negative, even in excess of its GDP level, and is projected to worsen further over time. This suggests that Europe’s current policies need to be significantly strengthened to bring future liabilities in line with the EU governments’ capacity to generate assets.
Keywords:
WP; country; GDP; deficit
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Slovak Republic: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix investigates the reasons for the large, recurrent external current account deficits in Slovakia, which are unusual by the current standards of other advanced transition economies. The paper examines the implications for external sustainability and reviews the causes of the widening in the external deficit from 2001. It discusses Slovakia’s competitiveness and estimates a range for the external current account deficit that could be sustainable in the medium term.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; firm; liquidity constraint; current account deficit; Slovak firm; pension system; loss-making firm; Pension spending; Current account deficits; Pensions; Aging; Credit; Western Europe; Eastern Europe
Cover Pension Reform in the Baltics
Pension Reform in the Baltics
Issues and Prospects
Mr. Jerald A Schiff
,
Mr. Axel Schimmelpfennig
,
Mr. Niko A Hobdari
, and
Mr. Roman Zytek

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of efforts in the Baltic countries to reform their pension systems, and examines the choices facing these countries in their continued reform efforts. Early reforms were aimed at correcting the flaws of the inherited Soviet system and, in particular, at shoring up the finances of the pension systems and reducing their distortionary impact. The Baltic countries have been in the forefront of transition economies in their pursuit of pension reform. They have taken important steps to shore up the long-run financial health of their existing pension funds and made preparations for the implementation of a three-pillar scheme. Although a move toward a fully funded pension system can potentially make an important contribution to the objectives of pension reform, such a change is neither necessary nor sufficient to meet these goals. The existing PAYG pension system can, at least in theory, be made sustainable by an appropriate adjustment of payroll tax rates and expected lifetime pension benefits, although the average replacement rate implied by such changes may well be fairly low, reflecting the expected demographic developments.

Keywords:
OP; PAYG; pension; cost; saving; retirement age; transition cost; savings-investment balance; PAYG system; financing gap; lifetime pension benefits; Pension spending; Pensions; Pension reform; Aging; Retirement; Baltics
Cover IMF Working Papers
Pension System Viability and Reform Alternatives in the Czech Republic
Mr. Thomas Laursen
The finances of the Czech pension system have deteriorated markedly in recent years and the aging population will add further strains in the future. The system is also burdened by significant distortions and disincentive effects. This paper assesses the current pay-as-you-go (PAYG) system, including its long-run viability, and discusses reform options. It concludes that alterations to the basic PAYG parameters can go a long way toward addressing the problems, although more systemic changes—such as pre-funding, strengthening the link between contributions and benefits, and diverting part of the pension contributions to a mandatory, private pension savings pillar—could also help.
Keywords:
WP; PAYG system; earnings; PAYG; rate of return; finances
Cover IMF Working Papers
Pension Developments and Reforms in Transition Economies
Mr. Carlo Cottarelli
,
Mr. Luis M. Cubeddu
, and
Mr. M. Cangiano
This paper reviews developments in pension systems in 11 transition economies during the 1990s, highlighting the forces behind their rapid weakening. It focuses on the challenges these systems face—including those arising from demographic factors—and discusses why most transition countries are considering shifting, or have already shifted, from traditional defined-benefit pay-as-you-go systems to defined-contribution fully funded systems. Finally, the paper looks at the main options that arise in introducing fully funded components, including the relative mix between funding and pay-as-you-go, and the speed of the transition toward the new system.
Keywords:
WP; PAYG system; transition economy; early retirement; retirement age; rate of return; Pension reforms; Transition Economies; Social Protection; pension system; wage bill; system dependency ratio; labor force; Pension spending; Pensions; Aging; Retirement; Wages; Central Asia; Eastern Europe; Baltics; Central and Eastern Europe; Western Europe
Cover IMF Working Papers
Pension Reform in the Baltics, Russia, and other Countries of the Former Soviet Union (BRO)
International Monetary Fund
Despite their increasing fiscal burden, the public pension systems of BRO countries are failing to provide adequate social protection. Although there is a broad consensus about the need for pension reforms, BRO countries are debating whether to embark on systemic reforms or whether to correct the distortions in their pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension systems. The paper reviews the measures taken by BRO countries during the transition period to address their pension problems and examines the options for further reform. It makes a strong case for a gradual reform approach aimed at establishing a multi-pillar system over the long run, but initially focused on implementation of “high-quality” reforms of the PAYG system.
Keywords:
WP; pension; pension system; BRO country; country; Pension Reform; Transition; Social Protection; coverage ratio; contribution rate; country authorities; early retirement; retirement age; PAYG system; pension provision; Pension spending; Pensions; Aging; Retirement; Baltics