Economic Policy and Development

(attached in English, Romanian, and Russian)

The Moldova 2009: State of the Country Report is the second state of the country report published by the Expert-Grup think-tank. The current political and economic situation in Moldova is of a critical nature, setting perspectives for long-term development trends in society. The process of strengthening civil society involvement in policy development reached a reasonable level of maturity, with a strong potential to produce a number of adequate analyses and diagnoses of various processes in the country.

ICPS Newsletter, No.7 (470), 6 April 2010
(in English and in Ukrainian)

ICPS Newsletter, No. 6 (469), 22 March 2010

(in English and Ukrainian)

A policy paper by the Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD), Azerbaijan

ICPS Newsletter, #4 (467), 22 February 2010

(in English and in Ukrainian)

The paper is published with financial support of the Think Tank Fund of the Open Society Institute - Budapest. The opinions it contains are solely those of the author and do not reflect the position of the OSI TTF.

(See attachments for full paper in English and Georgian respectively)

CASE Network E-Brief, June 2009

Editor: Eva Blaszczynski, Author: Anders Aslund

MEGA, the new economic review by Expert-Grup, Moldova, sets out to explain the economic evolutions in Moldova, to update economic policy analysis, and to provide policy recommendations for advancing the country’s economic development. MEGA is conceived as a bi-annual review to be issued each spring and autumn.

ICPS Newsletter #5 (439)

(In English and in Ukrainian)

The International Budget Project’s 2008 Open Budget Initiative 2008, in which ICPS participated, has ended successfully. The main project output, the 2008 Open Budget Survey comprehensive evaluation of budget transparency in 85 countries, found that budget transparency is deplorable around the world. It also showed that many more governments could quickly improve budget transparency at low cost by making publicly available the budget information that they already produce for their donors or internal use.

#4 (438), 2 February 2009

A publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies

(In English and in Ukrainian)

The Fellowship Program for Ukrainian Policy and Opinion Makers ended on a high note in 2008. The purpose of the program was to strengthen policy thinktanks and Ukraine’s future community leaders by establishing new contacts, exchanging experience and transferring knowledge in the analysis of public policy and the preparation of recommendations. It also focused on establishing effective communication between community activists and the government in Ukraine regarding public policy issues. During the course of the project, participants prepared briefs analyzing public policy, which are presented here in abridged form.

Інформаційний бюлетень Міжнародного центру перспективних досліджень

МЦПД інформує про успішне завершення Українсько-польської програми стажування у сфері аналізу державної політики на 2008 рік. Мета програми – посилення центрів аналізу політики та майбутніх громадських лідерів України через налагодження нових контактів, обмін досвідом і передачу знань у сфері аналізу державної політики та підготовку рекомендацій, встановлення ефективної комунікації між активістами громадянського суспільства та владою в Україні щодо питань державної політики. Упродовж програми учасники підготували записки з аналізу політики, стислий виклад яких пропонуємо до вашої уваги.

#3 (437), 26 January 2009

A publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies

(In English and in Ukrainian)

The natural gas supply agreement signed between Ukraine and Russia for deliveries in 2009–2019 establishes a formula for calculating the price of imported gas. The switch to European prices is happening shock-style, but it is necessary, because world prices for energy are likely to be even higher in the upcoming years, says ICPS senior economist Ildar Gazizullin.

Інформаційний бюлетень Міжнародного центру перспективних досліджень

2009 рік – час для європеїзації газової сфери України

Підписана між Україною та Росією угода на постачання газу в 2009–2019 роках визначає формульний розрахунок ціни на імпортований газ. Перехід на європейські ціни є шоковим, але необхідним, адже наступними роками світові ціни на енергоносії будуть вищими – вважає старший економіст МЦПД Ільдар Ґазізуллін

#1 (435), 12 January 2009

A publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies

(In English and in Ukrainian)

ICPS has issued a substantial downgrade of its forecast for Ukraine’s economy because of the worsening global economic climate and a major decline in access to external financing. Whereas earlier expectations were that GDP would continue to grow, albeit more slowly, during the entire forecast period, the updated forecast shows the economy will grow less in 2008, decline in 2009, stagnate and then recover slightly in 2010, and then rise slightly in 2011. The latest issue of Quarterly Predictions presents these forecasts in full.

Інформаційний бюлетень Міжнародного центру перспективних досліджень

2009 року кризові явища в українській економіці поглибляться

В останньому числі публікації “Квартальні передбачення” ми суттєво переглянули свій прогноз економічної динаміки з огляду на стрімке погіршення зовнішньої кон’юнктури та суттєве зниження доступу до зовнішнього фінансування через поглиблення світової економічної кризи. Якщо раніше ми очікували зростання ВВП, хоча й повільнішого, упродовж усього прогнозного періоду, то тепер прогнозуємо менше зростання економіки 2008 року, спад 2009 року, стагнацію з поступовим відновленням 2010 року та невелике економічне піднесення 2011 року.

(In Russian and English)

This guide is provided as a tool to understanding the competitive economic opportunities of the Gagauz Region in southern Moldova. The development of the guide was preceded by a comprehensive economic and social overview.

(In English and Romanian)

This report is a outcome of the Trilateral Project named "Managing Migration in the Black Sea Region: Improving the Implementation of National Policies in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania through Regional Cooperation between NGOs" implemented by three think tanks from Bucharest, Chisinau and Kyiv, with a support of Open Society Foundation network and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation.

(In English, Russian and Romanian)

The mission of the National Business Agenda is to develop a common platform of priorities, solutions and objectives for the business environment in the Republic of Moldova. It identifies itself with the issues and transformation processes within the country in its transition towards a model of efficient governance based on the institutions and values of a functional market economy.

ICPS Newsletter #31 (423), 13 October 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

ICPS Newsletter #30 (422), 6 October 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

ICPS Newsletter #29 (421), 29 September 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

Monthly analytical bulletin on Moldova, issued by Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", Chisinau
(in English and Romanian)

Monthly analytical bulletin on Moldova, issued by Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) "Viitorul", Chisinau
(in English and Romanian)

This is an overview of the Bulgarian economy in July 2008.

ICPS Newsletter #24 (416), 14 July 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

The Serbian financial markets have not been studied as thoroughly as other emerging European markets. To our knowledge the only exception to this is our report on the Serbian bond market (see Jefferson Institute 2005) followed by a research paper by Hanousek, Kočenda, and Zemčík (2007). This study focuses mainly on the market for stocks. Serbian financial markets and a corporate sector are still in formation.

ICPS Newsletter #23 (415), 7 July 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

(In Romanian with Summary in English)

This comparative research concerning foreign trade was carried out by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” at the request of the Coalition for Rural Economic Development (CRED) within the project “Advocacy Campaign for supporting Moldovan exporters of agricultural products” financed by the SOROS Foundation – Moldova and the Swedish Agency for International Development (SIDA).

ICPS Newsletter #22 (414), 30 June 2008,
a publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Kyiv, Ukraine
(in English and in Ukrainian)

This report is an overview of the Bulgarian Economy during the first half of 2008.

(in English and in Romanian)

The development and modernisation of the Republic of Moldova is an issue, which has constantly been on the agenda of authorities, civil society and international community in the recent years. In terms of the practical impact, the participation of civil society in the design, improvement and implementation of development policies is still rather limited, for some objective or subjective reasons.

The project State of the Country Report 2007: civil society’s contribution to development policies and good governance in the Republic of Moldova, implemented by the Independent Analytical Centre EXPERT-GRUP with the contribution of the representatives of a number of analytical and educational institutions, attempted to provide some solutions to the problems specific to the process of design of development policies in the Republic of Moldova.

The following is a report on a roundtable discussion with the Center for EU Enlargement Studies at the Central European University in cooperation with the Center for Economic Development and the Center for Liberal Strategies in Bulgaria.

This document contains an overview of the Bulgarian Economy in late 2007.

CASE Network Reports No. 76

In this paper we investigate the effects of EU enlargement on price convergence. The internal market is expected to boost integration and increase efficiency and welfare through a convergence of prices in product markets. Two principal drivers are crucial to explain price developments. On the one hand, higher competition exerts a downward pressure on prices because of lower mark ups. On the other hand, the catching up process of low income countries leads to a rise in the price levels and higher inflation over a transition period.

Newsletter from the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine

The following report outlines the framework established by the Armenian government to monitor the implementation of its strategy for the reduction of poverty as outlined in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).

(In Romanian with summary in English)

In 1998, the Soros Foundation Moldova launched a public opinion poll programme – Barometer of Public Opinion. The programme has been managed by the Institute for Public Policy since August 2000.

CASE Reports No. 75

This working paper contains the results of the first stage of research conducted within the framework of the Workpackage #11 of the ENEPO project called “The costs and benefits of institutional harmonisation”. Following the work package’s title, the authors aim to identify the costs and benefits of institutional harmonisation between the EU and its Eastern neighbours.

(In English and Romanian)

The study “Moldova on the Way to Democracy and Stability: from the Post-Soviet Space towards the World of Democratic Values," published with the support of GMF (German Marshall Fund of the United States of America), seeks to offer its readers the possibility to understand the structure and the character of the security risks facing a society in the period of transition, based on the example of the Republic of Moldova.

Business and Economy Review: No 25

The most important legal documents adopted during October-November 2007 are as follows: regulation for land consolidation, regulation and complimentary documents concerning the System for Animal Identification and Monitoring as well as Methodology for calculating the tariffs for passenger and luggage transportation. According to the first document, all land transactions that are conducted without public procurement bids, are not considered to be the object of land consolidation, which is a discriminatory approach.

Business and Economy Review: No.24

There were few significant events registered in September 2007 concerning the evolution of the legal framework in Moldova. The new law for preventing and fighting money laundering and financing terrorism stipulates that several reporting bodies should monitor transactions attentively and inform corresponding authorities about suspicious economic partners.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Business and Economy Review No. 23

In August 2007, the following laws were passed; the Law on Savings and Credit Associations (SCA), the Law on Limited Liability Companies, and the Law on Auditing. The first law liberalizes the framework for the proper functioning of Savings and Credit Associations. As a result, these associations can comprise both citizens as well as legal entities. With regards to the new Law on limited liability companies, Parliament did not change the minimal threshold of 5400 lei for the normative capital.

(In English and Russian)

‘Quo Vadis, Moldova?,’ published with the help of the European Integration Studies Centre in Lithuania, is a collection of 10 analytical articles which chart the complex changes within Moldova on the path to EU membership.

(In English, Russian and Romanian)

This report provides a monthly selection of key socio-economic indicators for Moldova.

This report provides an overview of Budget Legislation and Laws that Regulate State and Local Budgets in Ukraine.

This document is an overview of the Bulgarian economy in early 2007.

(In Serbian only)

This is a report on an expert roundtable discussion about challenges and opportunities for alternative energy in Kosovo.

In this paper, Elshad Mikayilov, assesses the role of shared tax transfers as a source for municipal financing in Azerbaijan. In particular he argues that tax sharing will improve the fiscal capacity of local governments and thus promote their local autonomy.

Newsletter from the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

(In English and Macedonian)

In this paper the authors show that participants in the Macedonian pension scheme are encountering high opportunity costs. In order to overcome this problem the authors make a list of recommendations. In this way they hope the participants will be able to choose funds with a clearly defined investment strategy (according to their ‘prospect’). This will create large incentives for improved efficiencies in investment management and performance because the retirement plans will be offered purely on a competitive basis.

Business and Economy Review No. 22

In July 2007 the regulatory framework was marked by several key evolutions. The publication of the study entitled, "The costs of developing business 2007" pointed to progress in the simplification of the procedure for company registration. It also pointed to a stagnation in authorizing and licensing business activities. During the same period, the Government adopted a controversial decision to create a working group for monitoring strategic foreign investments.

Business and Economy Review No. 21

The most important development concerning regulation in June 2007 relates to amendments to the Budget Law, through which revenues and expenditures were supplemented by an additional 620 million lei each. Legislative amendments were also adopted to facilitate the establishment of a new body – the National Commission of the Financial Market – which will supervise the non-banking segment of the market.

Business and Economy Review No. 20

A new set of laws on fiscal amnesty, capital legalization and the reform of the income tax system for companies were approved in May 2007. The Government also approved regulations concerning the granting of guarantees and compensations to employees who combine work with further education.

Immigration has been a taboo for mainstream politicians due to the sensitivity of the topic based on the Soviet legacy. In the last fews years the situation has changed only slightly with businesses pushing the debate for the urgent need for immigrants in several sectors that suffer from the shortage of labour due to emigration from Latvia. Nevertheless, the fears of immigration continue to have a negative impact on decision-making in the country in many ways.

Newsletter from the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

(In English with Summary in Bosnian)

CASE Reports No. 69

This report analyses the functioning of free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with its regional partners in the SEE Stability Pact process (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro). The objective of the study, as defined by the EPPU, was to formulate policy conclusions on enhancing the effectiveness of these FTAs.

Business and Economy Review: No. 27

A number of revolutionary initiatives and planned developments that failed to meet expectations marked the legal framework in Moldova in 2007.

Report on the Bulgarian Economy in 2006 published by the Center for Economic Development summarizes economic development of Bulgaria covering six major economic areas. Macroeconomic Dynamics of Bulgarian economy is the first area examined by the report. This section gives an overview of the business climate in Bulgaria including following macroeconomic issues - GDP, industry, services, private sector, exports & imports, current account, FDI and employment. Second section of the report is focused on the ESTAT Index of Business Climate where issues such as business environment and quality of education are considered. Section on Economic Policy covers following policy areas – enterprise policy, public finance, social & health policy, and environmental policy. Fourth section of the report focuses on Bulgarian Financial Sector particularly dealing with the banking sector, insurance sector and market capital. Section called Main Economic Sectors covers the economic development of individual sectors; namely energy sector, transport, construction and real estate, high technology, tourism and agriculture. Last section of the report EU Structural Funds and Regional Policy explains to what extent the economic system of Bulgaria is prepared to absorb money from structural funds.

(In English and Romanian)

This report examines the background to the problems of gas supply in relation to the Russian monopolist, Gazprom. In particular it highlights the role of the Moldovan authorities, who agreed to a gradual handover of control over the gas pipe transit routes and distribution networks to Gazprom.

It is not surprising that economies in this part of the world should see an explosion of a wide-scale market for bureaucratic services intermediaries, facilitating informal relations between businesses and state authorities. This report seeks to understand, explain, and set out the dimensions of this “intermediaries’ boom.”

This publication provides a picture of the likely medium-term developments of agricultural markets, based on a certain number of assumptions and on the statistical information available at the end of November 2006.

Newletter of International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

There are ongoing plans in Kosovo to extend the country’s lignite-mining operations and install new high-capacity power plants. This will have an inevitably negative environmental impact. Bearing in mind the toll that existing power plants have taken on the environment, the planned installation of new capacity must go hand-in-hand with efforts to improve the current environmental situation. The exploitation of lignite is a capital-intensive undertaking, and – beyond its environmental impact – exacts a heavy price in terms of land use, demographic movements, settlement relocation, water consumption, and damage to agricultural sector.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

The following is a report about the involvement of the rural population in community life in Romania.

In order to discover the main tendencies within the area of research several objectives were formulated;

• To identify the level of public involvement in community life for the rural communities selected

• To discover the main factors that lead to public involvement
• To identify and measure the level of trust in local administration institutions and activities

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

The goal of the project, supported by the EURASIA South Caucasus Cooperation Project, was to compare national policy papers on social policy and employment in South Caucasus countries to European policy papers, conventions and recommendations of the Council of Europe and European Union. Following this, a draft plan of state policy development for the next three years was to be drawn up in compliance with the relevant European standards and norms to reflect the countries political priorities.

This book is a product of two projects: Creative Destruction Management in Central and Eastern Europe: Meeting the Challenges of the Techno-Economic Paradigm shift (2000-2001), originally initiated for the Council of Europe; and a project funded by the Phare Cross-Border Co-operation Programme (2005- 2006).

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Because Ukraine must meet international commitments to the WTO and bilateral negotiations and faces economic restructuring challenges, state aid is becoming a priority area for policy formulation in this country. We have attempted to assess the level of tax exemptions in key economic sectors and quasi-fiscal activities in the energy sector.

By relocation, we understand not only moving some business processes or business units from Central European countries into Ukraine, but also the involvement in this transfer of investors from other countries, for whom Ukraine may be a better investment choice than Central Europe. This second concept is not about physically moving commercial operations, but about deciding to launch new ones in a different location.

CASE Reports No. 66

This report looks at the prospects for economic integration between Ukraine and the European Union. The so-called Orange Revolution of late 2004 saw the question of Ukraine’s future geopolitical orientation re-emerge, and the idea of closer integration with the EU received wide social support.

КАКО ЕКОНОМИЈАТА ВО ГОСТИВАР ДА СТАНЕ УСПЕШНА?

SI TË BËHET E SUKSESSHME EKONOMIA NË GOSTIVAR?

The research was conducted in the period from April 2005 to June 2006 and encompassed detailed desktop research (review of studies, analysis, books, and analyses of statistical data) as well as qualitative interviews, using participatory research methods, with around 130 stakeholders – businessmen, representatives of the local administration, owners and employees in private enterprises, directors and civil servants, guest workers and ordinary citizens.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This publication encompasses the survey on the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiatives (EITI) Campaign with funding from the Open Society Institute – Assistance Foundation (OSI-AF).

A Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2004 by the National Commission aimed at improving the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiatives (EITI), the NGO Coalition established to show strong support for this campaign, as well as a variety of local and foreign extractive sector companies has led to larger cooperation since then.

This book represents approaches to problems made by three groups that have signed the Memorandum of Understanding and their attitudes to one another. These approaches do rest on the analysts’ opinions and estimates, and they might not overlap with ERC’s position. Given this principle based on criteria, such as independence and objectivity, the respect for opinions voiced by the economic analysts representing both sides has been a priority during the authors’ assessments and comments on survey results.

National stereotypes are a simplification of certain knowledge, and from this point of view they may influence relations between nations and states in a positive or negative way. Poles, like other nations, have a stereotype of “an enemy” and “an ally” deeply imprinted in their collective consciousness. It is a common, simplified and generalised image of other states and their friendly or hostile attitude towards one’s own country.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This is an analysis of development problems in a former socialist country in South Eastern Europe. It is also a story about life in Stip, a medium-sized town in Eastern Macedonia; the emergence of a new group of private entrepreneurs on the ruins of formerly socialist companies; and the policy responses to the emerging new economy by public institutions. The story explores the forces that have affected the people and economy of Stip in the past and the factors which are buffeting them today.

Demographic change (driven by the second demographic transition) led to an uncontrolled increase in scale of various social expenditure in the OECD area, especially in continental Europe. Costs of social transfers created fiscal pressure leading to the necessity of tax increases all over Europe, including the New Member States. Employment consequences of an emerging higher tax wedge has become the topic of a large body of research.

(In English, Russian and Georgian)

The aim of this report is to analyse the potential conflict related to land distribution problems in two administrative districts of Georgia – Marneuli and Gardabani. The two districts under study are part of Kvemo Kartli province and are located near the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to the south of the city.

In a modern society, men and women should have equal opportunities to succeed. Any difference between the wages paid to men and women is considered an essential indicator of the non-existence of equal opportunities. On average, women earn less than men in all countries, and this by approximately one quarter less in Estonia.

In the late 1990s and the beginning of following decade, the Czech government designed and implemented an innovative industrial restructuring program for eight of the country’s most significant, distressed manufacturing companies, as part of a plan to address the widespread financial insolvency of many of the Czech Republic’s largest industrial companies and the need to bail out, recapitalize and privatize some of its largest banks.

The National Property Fund represents a case of how to accomplish privatisation without derailment by scandals or other substantial problems. The Slovak case traces the evolution and environment of the National Property Fund (NPF), which was, and still is, the key element of the privatisation process in Slovakia.

(In English and Serbian)

The study Competitiveness of the Serbian Economy 2006 seeks to identify the key obstacle to sustainable growth of the Serbian economy. Identifying the key obstacle for growth does not mean that solving this problem will solve all the problems of growth in Serbia. Policy making to maximize sustainable growth is inherently a sequence of individual steps. This project’s analysis aims to guide policy makers to the next best step for Serbia.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

(In English and Serbian)

This study examines the export market for fresh fruits and vegetables from Serbia and prospects of enhancing competitive practices, relative to the best practices of leading countries and firms. We look deep into the agriculture market and its institutions, seeking greater understanding of its lagging development as an industry, and its competitive position in traditionally successful product markets. It is clear that the agricultural sector needs comprehensive reform.

Building democracy requires both top-down and bottom-up efforts. In transitional democracies this is a number one imperative. To enhance such efforts in Armenia, a post-Soviet transitional country, a prominent Armenian think-tank, the International Center for Human Development (ICHD), initiated a pilot project on citizens' participation in local government budget policy development.

(in English and Armenian)

The ICHD Primary Health Care Unit is implementing a three-year project with financial support from the Open Society Institute called Support for A Tobacco-Free Armenia. The following publication brings together the findings of this project.

This report in English provides an overview and analysis of labour market trends in Moldova. It highlights the problems caused by the shift from a centrally planned economy to a free market model.

The project Fiscal Culture and Budget Sustainability has been prepared for discussion at the Forum 2015 round-table. This project is part of the ongoing work of the Institute for Development Research (Riinvest) in the field of fiscal policy initiation and advocacy in Kosova, which is to be harmonized with the present economic conditions, economic development needs and budget sustainability.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Recommendations from the US-Ukraine PDP Economics and Business Task Force.

(In English and Ukrainian)

A presentation for clients of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

The following paper will analyze the case of Albanian emigration to Greece, as the Albanian immigrants in Greece make for another striking example. Rarely immigrants from one country represent such a high percent of all immigrants in another country as do Albanians in Greece. According to a 2001 census, there were 797,091 foreign nationals residing legally in Greece. Of this number, 55.6% (443,550) were Albanians. When the estimation about illegal immigration is added to this number, we get an approximation of over a million immigrants in Greece, of which over 600,000 are Albanians. The paper will present the reasons for Albanian mass emigration to Greece, analyze the positive and negative effects of this emigration on Greece and Albania, and discuss the attitudes of Greek society towards the Albanian immigrants.

The changes that have recently taken place in Estonia have been relatively typical of developing countries: in the course of fast export- and consumption-based growth, the volume of technology and skills in the economy has decreased. In other words, Estonia’s economic growth to date has not been able to create sufficient value to balance uneven development.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

A power-point presentation on policy challenges in supporting hi-tech investments in Ukraine based on a roundtable discussion at the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

According to European Union directive 2002/14/EC, by the beginning of 2005, all EU Member States have to complete the framework for informing employees regarding this measure through employees’ representatives. Estonia is yet to adopt this directive. In addition, the subject of employee participation in companies' decision-making process has not been studied in any depth in Estonia and there is no overview available.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

A presentation at the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine, by Ivan Mikloš, Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This publication consists of articles written by experts from Visegrad countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) and features these countries’ experience in economic reforms on their strategic paths to EU accession.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

A publication by the Center for Economic Development, Sofia (available only in Bulgarian)

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

CASE Reports No. 61

In contrast to other studies of competitiveness which often focus on the country and industry level, this is a study of competitiveness in Poland at the firm level. In this analysis, we will focus primarily on how cooperation with external actors such as investors, creditors, customers, suppliers, local governments affect changes in the competitiveness of Polish firms.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This publication presents a collection of papers written in 2004 within a project that aimed to broaden the knowledge about sources of inflation in Ukraine and indicate policies that can support low inflation in the future. While working on analyses of monetary policies and inflation, the authors used the experience of other transitional countries, Polish in particular.

There is a vast body of economic literature discussing the role of the state and its scope in democratic countries. The role of the state in market economies as well as its implications for economic processes and their outcomes is an aspect widely examined by economists.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This handbook was prepared as part of the “Second Opinions and the Institutionalization of Public Consultation in the Policy Development Process in Ukraine” Project, a joint initiative of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and European Integration and the International Centre for Policy Studies implemented under the Policy Advice for Reform (PAR) Project of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) with the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

This handbook was prepared as part of the “Second Opinions and the Institutionalization of Public Consultation in the Policy Development Process in Ukraine” Project, a joint initiative of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and European Integration and the International Centre for Policy Studies implemented under the Policy Advice for Reform (PAR) Project of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) with the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

This handbook was prepared as part of the “Second Opinions and the Institutionalization of Public Consultation in the Policy Development Process in Ukraine” Project, a joint initiative of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and European Integration and the International Centre for Policy Studies implemented under the Policy Advice for Reform (PAR) Project of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) with the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

This report was prepared as part of a global research project financed by the Global Development Network (GDN) entitled “Understanding Reform.” Since it was launched in 1999, the Global Development Network has brought together research and policy institutes from around the world, supporting the production and dissemination of knowledge about development which can be of use to policy makers and the public.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

Newsletter of the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.

(In English and Serbian)

This report covers in considerable detail the legal as well as institutional structures of the Serbian bond market, and compares these to the evolution of the recently developed bond markets in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

A publication by the Center for Economic Development, Sofia, together with the Economics Institute in Serbia

A CASE Network E-Brief by Mateusz Walewski, June 2008

AMO Research Paper 2/2008
by Michal Roškanin

by Tomasz Grzegorz Grosse
Analyses & Opinion, No. 3, April/May 2008, Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
Analizy i Opinie, Nr 84, kwiecień/maj 2008, Instytut Spraw Publicznych, Polska

(in English and Polish)

A Report by PASOS (Policy Association for an Open Society) for the European Parliament Committee on Development

Authors: Jeff Lovitt and Eva Rybková, PASOS Secretariat, together with eight PASOS members and two other research partners

Policy Brief No.3, Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development
(in English and in Georgian)

A strategy paper by the Center for Economic and Social Development, Baku, Azerbaijan

A policy brief by the International Center for Human Development, Armenia

Policy Study No. 5, Center for Research and Policy Making

(in English and Macedonian)

Policy Paper No. 15, Center for Research and Policy Making, Macedonia

(in English and Ukrainian)

This report was prepared as part of the "Support of Public Consultations on an EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement" project carried out by the International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS) with funding from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open Society Institute (LGI/OSI).

This policy paper outlines the opportunities and obstacles for setting up free, viable and decentralized local government in Moldova following new laws on administrative decentralization and the functioning of local public administration (July - December 2006).

This Policy Brief attempts to assess and forecast some of the direct implications of the ‘liberalisation’ initiatives launched by the government of Moldova (i.e. capital amnesty, fiscal amnesty and zero-rate income tax for legal citizens).

A policy brief of the Social Policy and Development Center, Armenia.

(In English and Armenian)

Occasional Paper No. 11

After 15 years of monetary independence we are about to witness the entry of a well-known European commercial bank on the Macedonian market. With the acquisition of Ohridska Banka by Société Générale, CRPM believes that a certain era of mediocre banking practices applied by the Macedonian banks (as well as foreign banks with ‘Macedonian corporate culture’) is coming to an end. CRPM turns your attention to the draft Law on the Macedonian Banking System. This legal framework is expected to provide for further liberalisation of the financial market in the country, improvement of the legal and regulatory environment, and banking supervision. Reforms in all these areas can be considered as crucial to increase the efficiency and existing confidence in the local banking sector.

by Economic Research Centre, Baku

A policy brief from the International Centre for Policy Studies, Ukraine.