dinsdag 8 juni 2010
Trois plans pour préparer l’avenir
Du meilleur: le renforcement de notre fédéralisme autour des 3 Communautés et 3 Régions. Au pire: le divorce belge avec l’autodétermination des Régions, où Bruxelles n’est plus capitale européenne. Lisez l'article complet dans La Libre ici.
maandag 7 juni 2010
Sexual selection The hunk and the show-off do not always get the girl
Read the complete article in The Economist here.
Tax Freedom Day 2010 falls on 8 June for the second year in a row
Based on the latest data from the Federal Planning Bureau, this date falls again, for the second year in a row already now, on 8 June, while it felt on 10 June for three years before that. This means that despite all changes that were supposed or rumoured to reduce taxes like “personal tax reductions”, the “notional interest deduction”, the “VAT grouping”, the various “tax deductions for individuals” and so on, the overall tax burden in Belgium has remained stable.
Unfortunately, the move forward of last year that was consolidated this year is not an effect of a reduction of our substantial tax burden. Rather, the shift forward by 2 days is merely the result of the mathematical effect of the calculation method which is being influenced by the current economic downturn.
This is the fifth year in a row that we have computed Belgium’s “Tax Freedom Day”, the day on which the inhabitants of the country truly start working for themselves – all productive work up to that date having been needed to pay the burden of taxes.
Unfortunately, the move forward of last year that was consolidated this year is not an effect of a reduction of our substantial tax burden. Rather, the shift forward by 2 days is merely the result of the mathematical effect of the calculation method which is being influenced by the current economic downturn.
This is the fifth year in a row that we have computed Belgium’s “Tax Freedom Day”, the day on which the inhabitants of the country truly start working for themselves – all productive work up to that date having been needed to pay the burden of taxes.
Read the PWC report here.
vrijdag 4 juni 2010
Trade and the economic recovery: why open markets matter
There is growing evidence that with the worst of the economic crisis behind us, recovery is finally getting underway in many countries. Trade is already playing a catalytic role in the recovery, and is an essential component of any realistic policy framework for continued, sustainable development. Read the complete OECD policy brief here.
Don’t Let Deficit Concerns Derail Jobs Bill
Misplaced budgetary concerns are impeding major legislation that would create and preserve jobs, continue unemployment and health benefits for those who are out of work, and fix Medicare’s flawed payment formula for physicians for several years. Read the complete article of the CBPP here.
Bad Economy Prompts Wall Street to Embrace Environmentalism
Read the complete article in The Washington Post here.
donderdag 3 juni 2010
The Benefits of Financial Transactions Taxes
Read the complete letter from CEPR to the Bundestag here.
Greek Deal Lets Banks Profit from "Immoral Hazard"
Read Arvind Subramanian's op-ed in the Financial Times here.
Innovative working practices
With pressure on public finances, organisations are looking to find innovative working practices to save money. Capital Ambition asked IES to explore how some London Boroughs (sometimes with local NHS organisations) are sharing professionals or teams across organisational boundaries. This might happen through the sharing of an individual (eg joint head of HR), sharing of a team (joint HR function) or through procurement of services from another authority. Read the complete article of the Institute for Employment Studies here.
De burger moet zelf meer gaan betalen: Waar kan worden gesneden en waarom?
Burgers moeten meer zelf betalen en meer risico dragen bij vrijwel alle bezuinigingsvarianten die twintig ambtelijke werkgroepen gisteren hebben voorgesteld. Een overzicht van de belangrijkste bezuinigingsvoorstellen in het NRC Handelsblad hier.
The Cult of Theoi: Economic Uncertainty and Religion
Sacrifices to deities occur in nearly all known religions. In this paper, we report on our
attempts to elicit this type of religious behaviour towards “Theoi” in the laboratory. The theory
we test is that, when faced with uncertainty, individuals attempt to engage in a reciprocal
contract with the source of uncertainty by sacrificing towards it. In our experiments, we create
the situation whereby individuals face an uncertain economic payback due to “Theoi” and we
allow participants to sacrifice towards this entity. Aggregate sacrifices amongst participants
are over 30% of all takings, increase with the level of humanistic labelling of Theoi and
decrease when participants share information or when the level of uncertainty is lower. The
findings imply that under circumstances of high uncertainty people are willing to sacrifice
large portions of their income even when this has no discernable effect on outcomes. Read the complete IZA paper here.
attempts to elicit this type of religious behaviour towards “Theoi” in the laboratory. The theory
we test is that, when faced with uncertainty, individuals attempt to engage in a reciprocal
contract with the source of uncertainty by sacrificing towards it. In our experiments, we create
the situation whereby individuals face an uncertain economic payback due to “Theoi” and we
allow participants to sacrifice towards this entity. Aggregate sacrifices amongst participants
are over 30% of all takings, increase with the level of humanistic labelling of Theoi and
decrease when participants share information or when the level of uncertainty is lower. The
findings imply that under circumstances of high uncertainty people are willing to sacrifice
large portions of their income even when this has no discernable effect on outcomes. Read the complete IZA paper here.
Six Reasons Why the Capital Gains Tax Should Be Abolished
View the Centre for Freedom and Prosperity video here.
woensdag 2 juni 2010
Sociale verzekeringen verdragen geen splitsing
Lees het volledige opiniestuk van Bea Cantilllon et al. in De Standaard hier.
dinsdag 1 juni 2010
A mixed blessing
The cheaper euro will be good for some European companies—up to a point. Read the complete article in The Economist here.
maandag 31 mei 2010
Stiekem besparen is onrechtvaardig
Elk jaar groeit het budget voor de ziekteverzekering 4,5procent, dat wordt aanvaard en heet de groeinorm. Maar we kunnen dat niet blijven betalen, zegt MARK ELCHARDUS, dus moeten we ergens besparen. Lees het volledige opiniestuk in De Standaard hier.
vrijdag 28 mei 2010
Wie is mijn volk?
Hoezeer de Vlaamse politici de staat ook willen hervormen, de solidariteit met de Franstaligen lijkt niet in het gedrang te komen. Of toch? ANDRÉ DECOSTER ontleedt het discours over de transfers. Lees het volledige opiniestuk in De Standaard hier.
Restos : la TVA a baissé, mais les prix n’ont pas bougé !
Lisez l'article complet dans La Libre ici.
donderdag 27 mei 2010
Vlaams regeerakkoord op weg naar geschiedenis
Lees het opiniestuk van Bart Maddens in De Morgen hier.
woensdag 26 mei 2010
dinsdag 25 mei 2010
Erger dan de jaren tachtig
BESPAREN, DAT IS DE ECHTE INZET VAN DE VERKIEZINGEN. lees het volledige opiniestuk van Ivan Van de Cloot in De Standaard hier.
Pieter Timmermans débat avec Michel Jadot sur les pensions
L'un est retraité, l'autre est hyperactif, tous deux sont incollables sur le sujet. Michel Jadot, coordinateur de la Conférence des pensions et Pieter Timmermans, directeur général de la FEB, échangent leurs points de vue sur les pensions. Une table ronde organisée par "L’Echo/De Tijd".
Lisez l'article dans L'Echo ici.
donderdag 20 mei 2010
woensdag 19 mei 2010
Economische vooruitzichten 2010-2015
Le bonus de pension : un cadeau empoisonné
Dans ce numéro de Regards Economiques, nous étudions les effets de trois réformes potentielles du système de pension légale en Belgique, incluant le «bonus de pension» introduit par le gouvernement en 2007 et visant à gratifier des années de travail au-delà d’un certain âge plutôt qu’à pénaliser la retraite anticipée. Nos variables d’intérêt sont l’âge de départ à la retraite, le budget du gouvernement et les inégalités au sein de la population âgée. Nos simulations révèlent que le «bonus de pension» est une réforme inefficace. Au contraire, une pénalisation de la retraite anticipée aurait permis d’améliorer la soutenabilité budgétaire du système, tout en réduisant davantage les inégalités des revenus parmi les pensionnés.
Lisez le rapport dans Regards économiques de l'Ires (UCL) ici.
dinsdag 18 mei 2010
Shifting or red tape? The impact of authority behavior on tax compliance costs
Read this report from the Federal Plan Bureau here.
France: Document d'orientation sur la réforme des retraites
Lisez ce rapport du gouvernement français ici.
maandag 17 mei 2010
Average tax burden on workers’ earnings fell in most OECD countries last year
Belgium, Hungary and Germany once again had the highest tax wedges for single workers without children on average wages, at 55.2%, 53.4% and 50.9% respectively, though all three countries showed a small drop from in 2008. Read the OECD summary here.
The Great Recession of 2008-2009: Causes, Consequences and Policy Responses
Read the complete IZA publication here.
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