HOW GOVERNMENTS RESPOND TO BUSINESS DEMANDS FOR TAX CUTS: AN ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE AND INHERITANCE TAX REFORMS IN AUSTRIA AND SWEDEN. CES Open Forum Series 2018-2019

This paper analyses government responsiveness to business demands for tax cuts, using case studies of reforms of corporate taxes and inheritance taxes in Austria and Sweden. We find a high level of government responsiveness in both policy fields, but much higher responsiveness on inheritance tax. We argue that this difference between the two policy fields is the result of an effort by governments to balance three conflicting goals: (i) attracting investments, (ii) maintaining a high level of tax revenues, (iii) and maintaining electoral popularity. The intensity of these goal conflicts varied between the two policy fields. It was higher on corporate taxation, which led governments to combine cuts to corporate tax with compensatory measures, the abolition of inheritance tax in both countries was not combined with compensatory measures, because goal conflicts were low. We show that differences in the expected electoral and fiscal impacts of reforms explain the different levels of government responsiveness. Government efforts to reconcile the three policy goals under conditions of heightened business power entailed sacrificing redistributive goals that have characterized tax policies in earlier periods.

Privatising other people’s water: the contradictory policies of Netherlands, Norway and Sweden

The Nordic countries, including Norway and Sweden, are famous for their strong welfare state and public services. Stockholm’s public sector water company hosts the world’s leading annual conference of water, in a week that celebrates its achievement of cleaning the waters of Stockholm harbour. The Netherlands is equally famous for its water services, managed and financed through a network of public authorities, banks and managements. In all three countries, not surprisingly, there has been almost universal resistance to the idea of allowing private water companies to run this public service – in the Netherlands, a proposed law to make private sector water supply illegal has received backing from nearly all parties. Yet in all three countries, the agencies responsible for aid to developing countries are financing and supporting programmes that are promoting water privatization in developing countries. This paper presents the details of these aid policies, and discusses the problems raised by the policies themselves and the contradictions with their domestic water supply policies

Swedish intervention and the Krona float, 1993–2002

Using a set of standard success criteria, we show that Riksbank foreign-exchange interventions between 1993 and 2002 lacked forecast value; that is, the observed number of successes was not significantly greater--and usually substantially smaller--than the number one would anticipate given the martingale nature of exchange-rate movements. Under some success criteria, the Riksbank exhibited negative forecast value, implying that the market could have profited by taking a position opposite that of the bank. Moreover, the likelihood of success was independent of such conditioning factors as the amount of a transaction, the time lapses between interventions, or the number of foreign currencies involved. As such, Riksbank intervention could not operate through an expectations or signaling channel.Foreign exchange administration ; Krona, Swedish

Housing taxation in the Nordics : efficiency and equity

In many countries, owner-occupied housing enjoys a tax-favoured status relative to rental housing and many other forms of wealth. I first use simple examples to illustrate why the tax status of owner-occupied housing relates crucially to the tax treatment of the so-called imputed rent and mortgage interest expenses. I then discuss other issues related to capital income taxation as well as property taxation and housing market transaction taxes against basic principles of good taxation, referring to tax policies in the Nordic countries. I also discuss the connection between certain macroprudential policies and housing taxation.Peer reviewe

Refunding of a climate tax on food consumption in Sweden

This paper examines the implications of imposing a climate tax on food consumption in Sweden combined with refunding of the tax revenues to farmers for selected agricultural activities enhancing ecosystem services: restoration of drained peatland (carbon sequestration), maintenance of grassland (biodiversity), and construction of wetlands (nutrient regulation). A partial equilibrium model of the agricultural sector is used to assess economic and environmental effects. The results show that the introduction of a climate tax corresponding to the existing Swedish CO2 tax of 115 euros per tonne carbon dioxide equivalent reduces total emissions from food consumption by 4.4% without any refunding of tax revenues. Refunding with payments for all ecosystems enhances the carbon sink by an amount equivalent to 57% of CO2e emissions from food consumption, and results in net benefits in the tax refund system for the agricultural sector as a whole, but is regressive where farmers in regions with relatively high incomes receive proportionally much of the net benefits

Renovation Strategies for Multi-Residential Buildings from the Record Years in Sweden—Profit-Driven or Socioeconomically Responsible?

An important part of the multi-family housing stock in Sweden was built during the record years 1961–1975 and is in need of extensive renovation to be modernized. The stock is also at the center of political discussion of how to sustain ‘good housing for all’, especially in the rental sector. These renovation needs coincide with present energy targets and provides an opportunity to combine renovation with energy efficiency measures. Common for many of these buildings are that neglected maintenance has led to technical shortcomings, such as high energy use and low thermal comfort due to bad insulation, unsatisfactory air tightness and leaky windows, inefficient heating systems and insufficient ventilation, and moisture damage due to leaking building envelope and leaking pipes. However, the people living in these buildings are not willing to or cannot afford to pay the higher rents that extensive renovations would entail. Earlier research has highlighted the broader societal problem of energy renovations, but also that of housing companies’ priority of measures with short payback times, and those that give the possibility to raise rents. However, recent observations indicated a tendency towards more holistic approaches to housing renovation, and this study was initiated to investigate how public and private housing companies deal with renovation levels, rent increases and related social problems. The main conclusions are that sustainability and social responsibility are moving up on agendas in the public sector, but also, apparently, in the renovations strategies among the private companies. What is also seen is a trend moving from extensive total renovations to more tenant-adapted and step-by-step renovations. Renovation options which do not entail such large rent increases are increasingly being seen. Implications are that housing owners favor gentle renovation with reasonable rent increases of 10%–20%, which at the same time, may be a drawback for reaching energy efficiency targets

Social Innovation, Urban Regeneration, Circular City: A Cross- Country Analysis Post-Covid 19

The document studies urban regeneration as a sustainable development strategy for any city, emphasizing the sphere of urban reality (economic, social, and environmental). The aim is to examine the topic of urban regeneration to the concept of sustainable development after the impact of Covid-19. The paper analyzes how urban regeneration policies can contribute positively to the economic-social-environmental progress of the city. The research proposes a comparative analysis of three case studies of urban regeneration: Hammarby Sjöstad (Stockholm), Euromediterranée (Marseille), and the 'Ex Poligrafico (Rome)

Pre-analytical errors in blood sampling procedures in paediatric hospital care

Introduction Blood tests are important for diagnosing and treating children who are hospitalised with illnesses. The blood test process follows the specific phases of pre-analysis, analysis and post-analysis. Most blood test errors occur in the pre-analytical phase. Such pre-analytical errors (PAE) can affect children’s safety due to delayed clinical decision-making support or discomfort related to repeated blood sampling. Aim The overall research aim of this doctoral thesis was to investigate the frequency and consequences of PAE in paediatric hospital care. In specific, the following research questions were set out to be answered: • How frequent is PAE? • Which type of blood sampling methods, capillary or venous, is most affected by PAE? • What are the annual costs associated with blood tests affected by PAE? • What are nurses’ experiences with blood sampling procedures and related PAE? Methods Information about how frequently PAE occurs was retrieved from the laboratory information system FlexLab™, which contained data from blood analyses ordered from Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital from 2013 to 2014. Information on the type of blood sampling method and associated PAE factors was retrieved from a blood sampling survey and the medical record Take Care™. The costs associated with blood tests affected by PAE were calculated using hospital information from combined data sources and supply systems (Flexlab™, Tableau softwareÓ and Medicarrier AB). Clinical observations were also used to estimate the time healthcare personnel spend on the blood sampling process. A qualitative approach was used to explore the participating nurses’ views and experiences with PAE and with the blood sampling process. Results The frequency of PAE was 61,656 (5.4%) of 1,148,716 blood analyses sent to the laboratory from Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital (2013-2014). Clotting represented 31,605 (51.3%) of all PAE. Based on 951 blood samples from two paediatric inward departments, the capillary sampling method had a significantly higher risk of PAE than venous blood sampling, at 72 (20%) of 354 vs 56 (9.4%) of 597, p = 0.001, adj-OR 2.88 (CI 1.79-4.64). The annual cost of PAE was estimated at approximately 84,000 euros. The highest expense was personnel cost (65%), which amounted to 55,000 euros annually. Focus group interviews demonstrated that blood sampling was a challenge for nurses, revealing that they need more information about how to reduce PAE. Conclusion The results of this thesis demonstrate that the high frequency of PAE is primarily related to clotting. Capillary blood sampling carries a higher risk of PAE than venous blood sampling. The consequences of PAE include substantial annual costs to paediatric hospital care. Nurses need both theoretical and practical training on how to avoid PAE when conducting capillary and venous samplin

Decarbonising short sea shipping operations : examining the efforts and outcomes of a Finnish shipping line\u27s relevant initiatives

Decarbonisation of maritime transport operations has become a main priority for shipping companies around the world, especially after the adoption of the Initial International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships in 2018 that sets the goal of reducing the global shipping emissions by 50% by 2050, as compared to 2008. In a similar direction, the European Union’s (EU) Green Deal initiative was adopted in December 2019 and proposed, among others, the inclusion of shipping in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) as an additional tool for the achievement of climate neutrality in Europe by 2050. The most recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) that was held in Glasgow also increased the momentum for global decarbonisation efforts highlighting the important role and contribution of maritime transport in these overall efforts. This paper discusses the efforts and initiatives undertaken by a Finnish shipping line (Viking Line) for the improvement of its fleet energy efficiency, along with the decarbonization of its operations; initiatives that encompass various technical and operational measures along with the employment of alternative fuels and/or energy sources (such as wind power). According to the findings, significant energy consumption reductions can be achieved at the company level from the implementation of a number of energy efficiency initiatives that presuppose a company organization model focused on sustainable development. Global and regional regulations/guidelines definitely initiate the introduction of energy efficiency measures, but their effective implementation depends largely on the organizational structure and priorities of individual shipping companies

Long-run evolution of income inequality in the Nordic countries

This paper surveys Nordic historic studies on the distribution of income to highlight similarities and differences between Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the evolution of income concentration and income inequality over more than 140 years. Our descriptive analysis allows for a decomposition where we identify the contribution of the income share of the richest 1 per cent and the distribution of income among the other 99 per cent to overall inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient. The results show that the evolution of income concentration and inequality can be characterised by episodes rather than by secular cycles, which means that the evolution can neither be summarised by Kuznets’ inverse U nor by a U. The evidence on the role played by the share of the top 1 per cent for overall income inequality shows to be mixed and to vary across time and countries.publishedVersio