Latest news and press releases

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, ...

Social and healthcare service salaries are largest in Eastern Uusimaa and smallest in South Savonia. In basic healthcare, salaries in Helsinki are near lowest in the country, based on the VATT study published today.

An empirical study published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (JEEM) finds that residents in low-income and rural areas are disproportionately affected by increases in fuel carbon taxes. The study reveals that a diesel carbon tax increase was fully passed on to consumer pr...

Cutting taxes affecting firms is commonly seen as a way of increasing growth and the level of investment. In a new SNS report, however, economists Jarkko Harju, Aliisa Koivisto and Tuomas Matikka argue that this strategy is not a given, as they see no clear evidence that reduced corporate taxes r...

Government support expedited the economic recovery in 2021. The chosen supportive fiscal stance for 2022 is appropriate given worsened economic outlook. To preserve sustainability a plan about consolidating public finances should be devised without delays.

Economic Policy Council will publish its annual report on the economic policy of the government and fiscal sustainability on January 26, 2022. An open online seminar will be held for anyone interested in the report.