economy

In 2024, alcohol consumption per capita in Poland was the lowest (8.77 litres of pure alcohol) since 2005, and since 2021 there has been an uninterrupted downward trend in alcohol consumption. We drink about 10% less than in 2019 or 2021. Given that consumption is declining naturally, it does not seem that additional regulations and restrictions are needed.

The assessment of income taxes is mixed. On the one hand, Poland\'s top marginal tax rates are in many situations lower than, or close to the OECD average. On the other hand, the Tax Foundation points to many elements that fall short of the postulates of simplicity and neutrality of the tax system. 

Alcohol abuse and risky drinking have negative consequences for drinkers and their loved ones, and also pose risks to public health. Reducing the harmful effects of drinking is therefore an important objective for public policies.

The idea of capping interest rates on non-bank consumer loans has returned to the Czech political agenda. The intention is unimpeachable: protect financially vulnerable people from predatory lenders and prevent debt spirals. Nobody serious disputes that goal. However, will the rate cap actually solve the problem it claims to address?

For decades, Sweden has been presented as a proof of the superiority of the welfare state. In reality, its success tells a different story: one of liberalization, a crisis caused by excessive public-sector expansion, and a return to market pragmatism.

The government’s acceptance of more than 190 deregulation proposals was good news. Yet, the overall balance of this “year of deregulation” shows that Poland still lacks a coherent philosophy of lawmaking. Deregulation should not consist of isolated corrections implemented while new, unstable, and excessive regulations are produced at the same time.

In nature, it is common for organisms to adapt to their environment through evolutionary processes. Giraffes in the savannah have long necks, and camels in the desert have humps with fat. However, humans are the only species that have gradually adapted their environment to their needs. We have built cities and developed sanitary and energy infrastructure. We have created our own niche.

Ukraine\'s European integration process is often discussed in terms of legislative directives and macroeconomic indicators. However, at the heart of this process lies the most vital and sensitive resource – people. For many years, labor migration from Ukraine to Poland was quite high, but often temporary in nature.

One of our authors, Martin Vlachynsky, participated in an episode of In Conversation With, where he spoke with Adam Bartha, Director of Epicenter Network.

The European Union finds itself in a paradoxical situation. The population is ageing, the economy is stagnating, and at the same time, vast sums of citizens\' savings are lying idle in bank deposits. According to the European Commission, 31% of Europeans\' savings are unused in bank accounts. In contrast, Americans put their money to work much more efficiently, keeping three times less cash under the mattress.