OECD Economic Surveys: Estonia

Frequency :
Irregular
ISSN :
2221-2302 (online)
ISSN :
2221-2299 (print)
DOI :
10.1787/22212302
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OECD's periodic reviews of Estonia's economy.  Each survey examines recent economic developments, policy and prospects, and presents a series of recommendations.
Also available in: French
 
OECD Economic Surveys: Estonia 2012

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Authors:
OECD
Publication Date :
01 Oct 2012
Pages :
124
ISBN :
9789264128316 (PDF) ; 9789264128309 (print)
DOI :
10.1787/eco_surveys-est-2012-en

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OECD's 2012 Economic Survey of Estonia examines recent economic developments, policy, and prospects. In addition it includes special chapters covering macroeconomic volatility and skills and poverty.
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  • Basic statistics of Estonia

    This Survey is published on the responsibility of the Economic and Development Review Committee (EDRC) of the OECD, which is charged with the examination of the economic situation of member countries.

  • Executive summary

    Notwithstanding the deep 2008/9 economic crisis, Estonia has achieved one of the highest medium-term growth rates in the OECD, accompanied by rapid income convergence. The strong recovery from the crisis has benefited from structural strengths of the economy: a flexible labour force, business friendly regulation, well capitalised financial institutions, a successful transition from the currency board to euro area membership, and sustained credibility of fiscal policy.

  • Key policy recommendations

    Notwithstanding the deep 2008/9 economic crisis, Estonia has achieved one of the highest medium-term growth rates in the OECD, accompanied by rapid income convergence. The strong recovery from the crisis has benefited from structural strengths of the economy: a flexible labour force, business friendly regulation, well capitalised financial institutions, a successful transition from the currency board to euro area membership, and sustained credibility of fiscal policy.

  • Assessment and recommendations
  • Matching skills and jobs

    The labour market in Estonia is volatile, increasing the risk that groups with some obstacles to enter the labour market (youth, non-Estonian speakers and workers with no upper secondary graduation certificate) may become long-term unemployed, due to the aggravating skills mismatch in the wake of structural change. Avoiding a permanent exit from the labour force makes a multi-pronged strategy necessary, including strengthening activation policies, a better school-to-job transition, improving the co-operation with employers to improve vocational training programmes, stepping up targeting life-long learning support, and improving the access of tertiary studies for students from weak social backgrounds.

  • Reducing poverty through activation and better targeting

    The crisis revealed the need for a strategic review of the existing social protection system. Extreme income fluctuations on one side and low social benefits on the other side exposed fragile groups in the population to a significant poverty risk. The government has recently commissioned several studies to prepare a systematic reform of the system. The spectrum of options is wide and includes increased generosity, further efficiency gains, strengthening incentives, better access to services and, in particular, more ambitious activation.

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