How the status quo serves platform workers and consumers

The European Commission has proposed a Directive of the European Parliament and Council on improving working conditions on platform work. The proposal lays down …

Employment Flexibility Index 2020

For the third year in a row, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute and its partner organisations present the Employment Flexibility Index, that ranks a …

Reducing Shadow Economies

Across Europe, shadow markets constitute a significant portion of the economy. According to some estimates an average of 16 percent of GDP in EU …

In Lithuania one in two would consider shadow activity in financial hardship

The shadow economy in Lithuania remains pervasive despite economic growth, and as many as one in two people would consider informal consumption and undeclared …

Shadow economy: Understanding drivers, reducing incentives

The aim of this publication is to present and analyse the results of representative population surveys into public perceptions of the shadow economy and …

Fixed-term Employment for Long-term Competitiveness

Labour market flexibility may be characterized by the market participants’ abilities to deviate from standard labour regulations and typical forms of employment. Such possibilities …

Lithuania reforms its tax and pension system

In late June, the Lithuanian Parliament adopted a law that consolidated the employer and employee base for social security contributions and significantly cut the …

Labour Migration and Employment Flexibility

Economic migrants rarely displace local labour force. Immigrants are more likely to complement existing labour force creating opportunities for growth and bringing needed skills. …

Lithuania Commemorates the First Respect for Taxpayers Day

Today, on May 11th, Lithuania commemorates the first Respect for Taxpayers Day. On this occasion, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) has launched The Charter …

Extreme disparity in European labour markets: an Employment Flexibility Index

The recent Employment Flexibility Index uses data provided by the World Bank’s Doing Business Labour Market Regulation Questionnaire to compare labour market regulations.
The …

The Future of EU Finances

This Position Paper is a response to the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances by the European Commission. The goal of this …

Position on EU Initiative on Restrictions on Payments in Cash

The European Commission has launched a legislative initiative on cash payment restrictions aimed at exploring the rationale for the introduction of upper limits on …

Reaping the benefits of the sharing economy

Dominykas Sumskis // 23.08.2016
 
The sharing, or collaborative, economy is a rapidly rising business model which enables exchanges of goods and services through …

Government Yet Again Tells Lithuanians Not to Work

Dominykas Šumskis // 05.07.2016
 
With Lithuanian Parliamentary elections approaching, Lithuanian MPs, like magicians, are pulling out of a hat the same old populistic …

Flat tax and income inequality

Zilvinas Silenas // 01.06.2016
Piketty’s publication has reignited the debate over taxation. Proponents of higher taxation seized the opportunity to increase taxes. Even some …

Lithuania Ranks 13th in Worldwide Index of Economic Freedom

Lithuanian Free Market Institute // February 2016
Lithuania’s level of economic freedom has been steadily improving. The country has jumped up by two positions …

LFMI comments on European Commissions suggestions for the Tobacco Directive

 
Lithuanian Free Market Institute, March 2014
 
LFMI made a thorough analysis of European Commission’s proposal for the Tobacco directive (2001/37/EC), related public …

Facts and analysis: An integrated European market for card, internet and mobile payments

 
Lithuanian Free Market Institute, September 2013
 
Regulation, specifically Interchange Fee caps on credit and debit cards, would be especially harmful to consumers …