LFMI

The European Commission (EC) has published a study on working conditions of platform workers. Platform work is understood as all labor provided through, on, or mediated by online platforms in a wide range of sectors.

The European Commission has proposed options for possible EU action addressing the challenges related to fair minimum wages in the EU. The initiative has a general objective to ensure that all workers in the EU are protected by fair minimum wages, allowing for a decent living wherever they work.

In light of COVID-19 governments around the globe are juggling between ensuring business liquidity and preserving workplaces. Most countries have taken the approach of increasing regulations and tailoring them to the topicalities.

We, the eleven undersigned think tanks from ten Member States, call on the EU leadership to rise up to today’s challenges and embrace the declared principles of effectiveness, fairness, subsidiarity, transparency and democratic accountability so that the new EU budget maximizes the added value of the taxpayers’ money in the pursuit of the common goals of the EU and its Member States.

In terms of its expenditure and revenue, the draft EU budget continues to diverge significantly from what would appropriately address current challenges facing the EU27 and contribute to its economic dynamism, welfare and security.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only limited our liberties, but also liberated creativity. Vilnius mayor and LFMI’s ex-president has allowed turning the whole city into a giant outdoor café and let businesses to exploit parks and squares for this purpose.

Quarantine increases people\'s desire to study and learn. On March 25th the third national economics exam, organized by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, attracted a record number of participants (10,963). The motto of this year’s exam was “There is a human being being every number.”

Lithuania improves its ranking from the 21st to 16th in the Heritage Foundation’s 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. The country has regained its position from 2016 after four years of backsliding, the index shows.

Today, about 100,000 Lithuanians take advantage of this opportunity to legally supplement their income—but starting a small business hasn’t always been so simple, and the threat of losing this tool that helps entrepreneurs like Ona succeed is very real.

Elena Leontjeva, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI), will serve as the organization\'s president. Elena led LFMI since its inception until 2001.