Das Gesetz über Leistungsverbesserungen in der Gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung ist am 1.7.2014 in Kraft getreten. Zu einer Reduktion der Altersarmut - wie die Aussagen im Bundestagswahlkampf 2013 vermuten ließen - trägt zumindest die abschlagsfreie Rente mit 63 nicht bei. Die Autoren aus dem...

Despite a deep recession in 2009 and weak growth in subsequent years, Hungary’s fiscal position compares favourably with many other OECD countries. Nonetheless, the underlying fiscal balance started deteriorating in 2010 and 2011. Recognising this, Hungary’s government launched an ambitious...

This paper examines various aspects of fiscal policy in Slovenia, in particular fiscal consolidation, pension reform, efficiency of government spending and the tax system. It finds that Slovenia belongs to the group of new EU member countries, which have given in the past a high priority to...

Since 2004, the fiscal deficit has been brought down by over 5% of GDP to below the 3% limit in 2006, which is a major achievement. The government plans a more gradual reduction over coming years so that overall balance or surplus is reached no later than 2010. However, fiscal consolidation...

Hungarian debt level has steadily increased since 2001, with the debt-to-GDP ratio reaching about 84% at end-2011. This high level combined with significant volatility of macroeconomic variable influencing potential future debt paths – GDP growth, exchange rate and interest spreads – put...

In the wake of the financial crisis there has been renewed focus on the importance of a country’s net external debt position in determining domestic interest rates and, relatedly, its vulnerability to a crisis. This paper extends the panel estimation of OECD countries described in Turner and...

Recommended readings (Machine generated): 1. Kenneth E. Boulding (1966), 'The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth', in Henry Jarrett (ed.), Environmental Quality In a Growing Economy, Chapter One, Baltimore, MD, USA and London, UK: Johns Hopkins Press, 3-14 -- 2. Herman E. Daly (1974), 'The...