Latest news and press releases

In Finland, we spend over 20 billion a year on healthcare and the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) spends almost 2 billion a year on pharmaceutical reimbursements. Choices made healthcare and medical care have a major impact on public finances of the state, municipalities and wellbeing...

Customers are more likely to choose a cheaper drug if they have to pay out of pocket for refusing generic substitution. The greater the financial incentives for generic substitution, the larger the savings, according to a new study analyzing generic substitution and reference price policies in No...

Despite long distances between hospitals in Finland, the patient choice reform for planned surgeries encouraged patients to seek treatment outside their own health care district. This reduced waiting times and ensured that existing resources were used more efficiently, a new study reveals.

The total exports and imports of the Finnish firms that used to trade in goods with Russia decreased almost immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but the overall economic effects of the war on these companies have remained small.

Marita Laukkanen, a long-time chief researcher and research leader with the VATT Institute for Economic Research, has been appointed as a research professor. The decision on the change of position was made by the VATT leadership in September 2023. Laukkanen's work and responsibilities will remain...

The Covid-19 pandemic and the current crisis have demonstrated that the government’s ability to support the economy is crucial. Given the persistent deficit in public finances, the new government term should start with a credible fiscal adjustment plan. The tightening of EU-wide climate policy wi...

Economic Policy Council will publish its annual report on the economic policy of the government and fiscal sustainability on February 1, 2023. An open seminar will be held for anyone interested in the report and themes such as green transition.

According to a background report for the Finnish Economic Policy Council, lump-sum transfers are better at improving the equity of fuel taxation compared to reductions in income or fuel taxes. Tax reductions would disproportionately benefit high-income households. Furthermore, reductions in fuel ...

VATT's research professor Tuomas Pekkarinen died of an sudden attack of illness.

Housing is a big issue - we spend tens of billions on housing and it touches everyone of us. The housing market brings authorities, businesses and households together in many different ways - and with varying interests. With the help of research-based knowledge we are able to improve housing poli...

Housing allowance was reformed in Finland in 2015 so that the size of the allowance was no longer dependent on the size of the dwelling. This reform significantly increased housing allowance for small homes. It was feared that the increased support for small homes would raise rents, diverting the...

To support evidence-based decision-making, a unit was established in Finland that is unique even by international standards. The Data Room, which has been granted funding for three years, is an independent unit of VATT Institute for Economic Research. It will work in close cooperation with Helsin...

The launch of the Finnish centre for excellence in tax systems research takes place on Thu Sept 1 in Tampere. The event's keynote speech is held by Professor Joel Slemrod (MIT), internally acclaimed economics researcher and pioneer in tax systems research.

Workers in Denmark and Sweden experience the lowest earnings declines following job loss in mass layoffs, while workers in Italy, Spain, and Portugal experience losses three times as high. Labour market policies have the potential to mitigate these differences.

As of 2020, at least half of students for higher education institutions have been selected based on their matriculation examination certificate or vocational education and training grades. Compared to the previous, fragmented application system, the change made student admissions more efficient, ...