Latest Blogs
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Researcher introduction: Terhi Ravaska
Blog 17.5.2022
We start our researcher introduction series with specialist researcher Terhi Ravaska. Read the text below to see what Terhi is working on.
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How were the day-care centres of the two-year preschool education trial selected?
Blog 9.12.2021
A unique trial on a longer period of preschool education is being carried out in Finland. In this article, we will talk about the background of the experiment and the methods employed to choose the day-care groups for treatment and control groups around Finland.
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What works? Lessons from Active Labor Market Policy evaluations
Blog 17.11.2021 Professor Andrea Weber
The rapid restart of economies after the COVID-19 related lockdowns comes with challenges for the labor market. In search of solutions to these challenges, policy makers look at past experiences with Active Labor Market Policies (ALMPs). It appears that past findings have influenced policy decisi...
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Location-specific measures are needed to reduce emissions from transport
Blog 29.9.2021
In terms of climate policy goals, achieving emission reductions in the transport sector is in principle simple: combustion engine vehicles must be driven significantly less than at present. In rural areas emissions per household remain large, but total emissions are greatest in urban areas. Diffe...
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Global minimum corporate tax and reform of taxing rights between countries
Blog 6.7.2021 Jonatan Kanervo, Seppo Kari, Emma Tuomi and Marika Viertola
The G7 countries reached preliminary agreement in June on a minimum corporate income tax and on a reform of how the taxing rights are distributed among countries. The G20 meeting in July will be more challenging. In the long term the change is unlikely to solve the problems of international corpo...
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Spouses who work together - Evidence on relative income within households
Blog 30.6.2021
New research by Natalia Zinovyeva and Maryna Tverdostup examines why there are many more couples where men slightly out-earn women than couples in which women slightly out-earn men. Previous research has attributed this discrepancy to the existence of a ‘gender identity norm’ that prescribes a br...
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Finland’s fuel tax does not particularly fall upon low-income households
Blog 20.5.2021 Anna Sahari (VATT) ja Kimmo Palanne (VATT)
Emissions reduction targets in road transport are unlikely to be achieved without increasing the cost of driving for petrol and diesel-powered passenger cars. Fuel taxes are an effective means to reduce emissions and they do not particularly fall upon low-income households. Recycling tax revenue ...
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Biodiversity loss is not visible in the indicators used in economic policy planning
Blog 18.2.2021 Anni Huhtala (VATT)
The main message of the Dasgupta Review is that the economy does not exist separate from nature. The activities of people, households and companies are based on the management of assets. It causes problems that nature has not been considered an asset, capital goods, and a source of wealth in the ...
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The Finnish welfare state succeeded well in softening the impact of the coronavirus crisis on low incomes and inequality
Blog 20.1.2021 Tomi Kyyrä (VATT), Jukka Pirttilä (HY ja VATT) ja Terhi Ravaska (VATT)
Based on the up-to-date data of the Helsinki GSE Situation Room, we have been able to monitor the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and restriction measures on various groups of employees and companies. But what kind of an impact has the coronavirus crisis had on disposable income, low incomes ...
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Overhaul of international corporate taxation: A Finnish perspective
Blog 25.6.2020 Seppo Kari, Ilpo Kauppinen, Olli Ropponen
International corporate taxation is in need of an overhaul but none of the reform proposals made so far provides an entirely satisfactory solution to the problem. The Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) proposed by the European Union would change the fundamentals of the international t...
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Activation model made evaluating the basic income experiment more complicated – or did it?
Blog 25.6.2020 Kari Hämäläinen, Jouko Verho
The activation model made interpreting the employment impacts of the basic income experiment more difficult, but does it really matter? In any case, few employment schemes have been evaluated with such accuracy: the employment impacts of basic income have been so small that it can never be the fi...
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EU is dreaming of a green future but has little to show by way of cleantech innovations – which path will Finland take?
Blog 2.6.2020 Anni Huhtala
The European Commission presented the European Green Deal in December last year. The programme was also discussed in the Finnish Parliament just before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. As the EU is planning pandemic rescue packages, it is worth recalling the Sustainable Europe investment...
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Persistence of unemployment increases the costs of the economic crisis
Blog 29.4.2020 Jouko Verho
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a global economic crisis. Now that the initial shock has passed, public debate has begun on the economic consequences of the crisis. It is clear that Finland is plunging into a recession, but it is yet to be determined how deep. Compared with the recession of t...
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How will school closures impact learning and students' labour market outcomes?
Blog 5.4.2020 Tuomas Pekkarinen
The move to distance teaching may reduce teaching time or hinder the learning of non-cognitive skills necessary in the job market, writes Tuomas Pekkarinen.
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Open letter by Joel Slemrod: Call for innovative research collaboration
Blog 26.11.2019
In an open letter to Finnish audience, distinguished American tax economist professor Joel Slemrod commends the quality of Finnish research in public finance and research collaboration with Finnish authorities.