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Commission advises Estonia to carry out administrative reform

BC, Tallinn, 19.05.2016.Print version
In country-specific recommendations published on May 18th, the European Commission advises Estonia to carry out the administrative reform, reduce the gender pay gap and increase investments in research and innovation, informs LETA/BNS.

On Wednesday, based on an analysis presented in the country reports on individual member states and the dialogue held with the member states, the Commission presented country-specific recommendations for the next 12 to 18 months. The recommendations focus on reforms that are essential to speed up economic recovery in the member states.

 

Specifically, the Commission recommends Estonia to ensure the provision and accessibility of high quality public services, especially social services, at local level, including by adopting and implementing the proposed local government reform. It also recommends to adopt and implement measures to narrow the gender pay gap, including those foreseen in the Welfare Plan, and promote private investment in research, development and innovation, including by strengthening cooperation between academia and businesses.

 

"Today's economic package places major emphasis on the structural reforms needed to strengthen the EU's economic recovery, reduce obstacles to growth and boost employment. Modernizing labor, product and service markets, making it easier to do business, for example by reforming public administration and making tax systems fairer and more efficient, would help open up more job and investment opportunities in the EU," European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, responsible for the euro and social dialogue, said.

 

As external factors supporting Europe's moderate recovery are fading, domestic sources of growth are gaining in importance. The recommendations therefore focus on the Commission's three priority areas: investment is still low compared to pre-crisis levels but is gaining traction, also helped by the Investment Plan for Europe. Faster progress on structural reforms is necessary to boost the recovery and raise the long-term growth potential of EU economies. All member states need to pursue responsible fiscal policies and ensure growth-friendly composition of their budgets, the Commission said in a press release.

 

EU ministers are expected to discuss the country-specific recommendations before EU heads of state and government are due to endorse them. It is then up to member states to implement the recommendations by addressing them through their national economic and budgetary policies in 2016-2017.






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