EconPol Forum

EconPol Forum (formerly CESifo Forum) is a quarterly English-language journal to bring economic analysis on topics of worldwide interest along with policy advice to a broad range of policymakers and the public.

In September 2022 the CESifo Forum was restructured into four sections under the new EconPol brand. The first, Policy Debate of the Hour, recognizes the constantly evolving nature of policy challenges, focusing on the most pressing issues of the times. Leading researchers are invited to share their insights and policy conclusions. The Economic Policy and its Impact section assesses economic policies and develops robust evidence for their optimal design and implementation. In the Institutions Across the World section, contributors focus on the key role that institutional design plays in shaping socio-economic outcomes, often by comparing institutions across economic and political systems. Finally, Big Data-Based Economic Insights presents articles that glean economic policy advice from the exploitation of large, complex datasets.

Ukraine Refugees: From Temporary Protection to Encouraging Return to Support the Ukrainian Economy

ECONOMIC POLICY AND ITS IMPACT

Yuriy Gorodnichenko and Daniel Gros

With the war now one of attrition, the Ukrainian economy needs to be strengthened. To this end, a package of measures is needed to incentivize the return of Ukrainian refugees and help businesses invest in Ukraine to create the jobs needed by returning refugees.

 

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A New Common Migration Policy for the EU ‒ Why and How?

Panu Poutvaara, Matthias Lücke, Angelo Martelli, Eugenia Vella, Eiko Thielemann, Florian Bartholomae, Chang Woon Nam and Alina Schoenberg, Jeroen Doomernik, Piotr Lewandowskiwa

The unfair distribution of responsibility for asylum seekers between EU member states under the “Dublin system” has long been a bone of contention in the Common European Asylum System. In April 2024, the EU Parliament approved the controversial migration and asylum package after lengthy negotiations. The rules for illegal immigrants in particular were significantly tightened. However, a balanced and comprehensive migration concept must address very different objectives: EU member states not only want to prevent irregular migration, but also recruit highly skilled workers. The protection of human rights is paramount. In a single market with freedom of movement, it is necessary to go beyond the 27 national immigration policies. A common European migration policy can make immigration rules simpler, less bureaucratic and more transparent for immigrants and the relevant authorities. In addition, a coordinated approach enables better access to education, language courses and employment opportunities for migrants. This facilitates their integration into the European labor market and their social inclusion.

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Germany’s 9-Euro Ticket: Impact of a Cheap Public Transport Ticket on Mobility Patterns and Infrastructure Quality

BIG-DATA-BASED ECONOMIC INSIGHTS

Mario Liebensteiner, Jakob Losert, Sarah Necker, Florian Neumeier, Jörg Paetzold and Sebastian Wichert

While the 9-Euro Ticket (the temporarily introduced low-cost, nationwide public transport ticket in Germany) has been successful in increasing public transport use, it has not been very effective in encouraging a significant shift from car to public transport.

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Overregulation in the EU? How to Boost Competitiveness with Smarter Legal Frameworks

Béatrice Dumont, Jan Blockx, Bertin Martens, Fredrik Erixon and Oscar Guinea, Gabriel Felbermayr and Klaus Friesenbichler, Thomas Weck, Oliver Falck, Yuchen Mo Guo and Christian Pfaffl

In recent years, the EU has significantly shaped framework conditions in areas such as data protection, consumer health and safety, environmental protection, the supply chain, and antitrust law. However, the EU’s overregulation in some areas is seen not as beneficial, but as a detrimental factor limiting innovation, competition and growth. The EU now needs better, evidence-based regulation ensuring that its legislation is drafted in a transparent and inclusive manner and is as simple and targeted as possible to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy burdens and costs.

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