Starting Over in Pensions: The Challenges Facing Central and Eastern Europe1

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Holzmann
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Transition Economy ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Pension System ◽  
Pension Reform ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Retirement Income ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Pension Schemes ◽  
Open Questions

ABSTRACTAll countries in Central and Eastern Europe require rapid and drastic restructuring of their public pension schemes for macro- and microeconomic reasons. While initial considerations were geared towards streamlining the unfunded scheme, reducing many distortions and making it financially sound, some transition economies initiated reform plans for a move from unfunded to funded retirement income provision. The paper reviews the need for reform and surveys the discussion and current plans before addressing three central open questions: How to structure the first and unfunded tier? How to finance the transition toward the second and funded tier? What are the minimum financial sector requirements before funded provisions can be initiated? The success of the current pension reform efforts in Central Europe will have an important bearing on developments throughout Europe. A failure in one transition economy caused by bad design, unprojected deficits, or insufficient financial market preparation could discredit a funded pension system in the whole region; a successful move towards an unfunded-funded multi-tier pension scheme in Eastern Europe could positively stimulate the discussion of pension reform in the European Union.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY LEVEL OF SELECTED COUNTRIES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE IN POULTRY MEAT PRODUCTION

2021 ◽  
Vol XXIII (4) ◽  
pp. 96-107
Author(s):  
Sebastian Kubala ◽  
Marcin Stanuch
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
The Self ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Production Volume ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Self Sufficiency

One of the key markets of the European Union is the poultry meat market. The situation on this market is of significant importance to both producers and consumers. The main aim of the article is to study the level of self-sufficiency of selected countries in Central and Eastern Europe in the production of poultry meat. Eleven countries were selected as the research area: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary. In the conducted research, simplified indices of self-sufficiency were used: the balance of foreign trade in terms of volume and value, average annual consumption per capita and production volume in relation to consumption. The study was conducted for the years 2009-2018. The statistical sources used come from FAOSTAT and International Trade Centre databases. Research has shown that the analyzed countries are characterized by a significant diversification of the self-sufficiency level of poultry meat production. Only 6 analyzed countries can meet the domestic consumption demand from their own production, the remaining countries supplement the deficit from imported goods. The highest level of self-sufficiency of poultry meat production was observed in Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Hungary. On the other hand, the lowest level is found in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia and Latvia.

scholarly journals Economic Development and Growth in Central and Eastern Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Csilla Polster
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
European Union ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Migration Activity ◽  
Member States

The study investigates the economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe in the last 25 years. The economy can be regarded as a substantial topic in any country, but it is even more interesting in developing countries. One of the basic ideas of the European Union is the convergence between member states, namely the reduction of development disparities, which can be achieved through faster economic growth in less‑developed countries. Growth theory is one of the main topics in economics. Its significant importance is because the desire for development is one of the main driving forces of mankind. The aim of the study is to reveal the crucial differences and common features between the growth paths of the eleven Central and Eastern European member states of the European Union. After presenting growth theories, the growth performance of the examined Central and Eastern European member states is pinpointed. During the research, GDP per capita, population, migration, activity rate, employment rate, unemployment rate, foreign direct investment and foreign trade openness are considered.

scholarly journals An Integral Cultural Space in Europe and New Challenges for its Economic Development

Ekonomika ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Borisas Melnikas
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Equal Rights ◽  
Cultural Space ◽  
Cultural Policies ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The Creation

The paper aims to evaluate the main features of the creation and development of an integral cultural space in Europe and the main problems of economic development in the context of the enlargement of the European Union and the transition processes in Central and Eastern Europe.The author has used the outcomes of the research done over the recent several years, dedicated to the diagnostics of the problems of transformations as well as economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe with a special reference to the development of the integral cultural space and human rights in the context of economic development in the European Union.The major findings show that the creation and development of the integral cultural space in Europe is a very complex and controversial process, and in its course various problems and conflicts arise. Therefore, to encourage the creation of the integral cultural space in Europe, appropriate cultural policies are necessary to be implemented.These policies may embrace many priorities including- preservation of cultural diversity;- adaptation and dissemination of integrated European dimensions;- elimination of inappropriate factors within humanism and democracy of all European countries;- provision of equal rights for all groups of modern society.For implementation of key priorities of cultural policies, the use of a number of special pan-European programmes is suggested.The new non-traditional ideas of a possible economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe are discussed.

scholarly journals Political Economy of Fiscal Reform in Central and Eastern Europe

Competitio ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-75
Author(s):  
George Kopits
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Fiscal Reform ◽  
Public Finances ◽  
National Budget

The reform of public finances has been at the centre of the post-socialist transition of Central and Eastern Europe since the early 1990s. At various stages of the transition, the reform process encompassed the entire gamut of public finances: the national budget, sub-national finances, extrabudgetary operations, and state-owned financial and non-financial enterprises. For the most part, fiscal reform was a non-linear stop-and-go process – often characterised by backtracking as well – and was uneven across countries. Moreover, unlike most reform experience in the rest of the world, fiscal reform in this region took place against the backdrop of a radical break, as sovereign countries emerged from a colonial past following the collapse of the Soviet Union. An important milestone was reached in 2004–2007, when all ten countries covered in this article became members of the European Union. The purpose of this article is to discuss fiscal reform in Central and Eastern Europe from the perspective of political economy. Following an overview of basic reform trends, the article focuses on the principal drivers and impediments to reform in the region. To conclude, the ingredients of successful reform are examined. The article does not provide an exhaustive inventory of reform measures, nor does it offer a survey of broad political economy issues prior to or during the transition period. Country references are intended to serve as stylised illustrations of main points, rather than as a comprehensive documentation of reform episodes. Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) classifications: H1, H3, P2, P52.

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