PP/11/05 Improving Energy Efficiency of the Belarusian Economy: an Economic Agenda (PDF/90Kb) [22/11/2005]
Pavel, F., Tochitskaya, I.
Low energy efficiency (i.e. defined as energy consumption per GDP) is a significant problem for the Belarusian economy. It indicates towards significant, so far unused potentials for cost reduction through reduced energy consumption. At times when the country seeks to reduce its dependency on energy deliveries from Russia this needs to be improved urgently.
PP/10/05 Guidelines for Renewable Energy Policy in Belarus (PDF/49Kb) [21/11/2005]
von Cramon-Taubadel, S.
In this paper we discuss the role that renewable energy sources (RES) can play in a sustainable energy policy in Belarus, and the opportunities and threats that are posed by RES policy. RES could contribute to increasing energy security in Belarus. While increasing energy efficiency is clearly of paramount importance, increased use of RES has the potential to contribute to reduced dependence on imported sources of energy.
PP/09/05 Renewable Energy Resources: the Past, Present and Future (PDF/438Kb) [20/11/2005]
von Cramon-Taubadel, S., Lakemeyer, E., Rakova, E.
Renewable energy sources (RES) have numerous economic and environmental advantages. They could replace fossil fuels and reduce dependence on imported energy, create additional opportunities for some industries and agriculture, reduce green house gas emission and other types of pollution. That is why there is a clear trend in most developed countries towards increased RES usage.
PP/08/05 Ensuring Sustainable Economic Growth in Belarus (PDF/66Kb) [19/11/2005]
Chubrik, A., Giucci, R.
This paper discusses the main trends in economic growth in Belarus. It argues that the sustainability of several growth factors is in question over the mid-term. There are exogenous risks (decrease of commodities prices, Russian trade policy, and decrease or elimination of Russian energy subsidies to Belarus) and endogenous risks (income policy of the government and rigidity of its policy towards privatization).
PP/07/05 Regulating Public Automobile Transport: The Major Issues (PDF/51Kb) [18/11/2005]
Babicki, D., von Cramon-Taubadel, S.
Public automobile transport in Belarus is both socially and economically important. As the structure of the sector changes with the development of private providers, the system of state regulation of public transportation needs to be reformed as well. The two major types of regulations needed are regulations on technical and safety standards, and market regulations. This paper focuses on the need for independent regulatory bodies to provide sound regulation for local transportation markets
PP/06/05 Value-Added Taxation within the Customs Union of Belarus and Russia: Concept, Practices, and Lessons (PDF/73Kb) [12/07/2005]
Valevich, Y., Bach, S.
Last year, the authorities of Belarus and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement that introduced the destination principle of value-added taxation for bilateral trade since 2005. The major characteristic of this principle is the absence of border controls since the countries are forming the Customs Union. Therefore, the VAT is collected by tax authorities via a deferred-payment system of zero-rating of exports.
PP/05/05 Practical Aspects of Establishing a Belarusian Guarantee Fund (PDF/73Kb) [15/06/2005]
Kruk, D., Giucci, R.
This paper deals with several practical questions that arise during the conceptual stages of establishing a Belarusian Guarantee Fund for loans to small enterprises (SEs). The first question to be answered is what amount of guarantee capital will be needed to effectively operate the fund. We analyzed the specific Belarusian conditions and found the approximate amount of guarantee capital needed to be about USD 5.8 m, which means that the amount of funding required from the government will be about USD 2.8 m.
PP/04/05 Creation of the System of Contractual Savings for Housing in Belarus (PDF/48Kb) [22/12/2004]
Chubrik, A., Giucci, R., Roy, F.
Housing conditions in Belarus are similar to those in neighboring countries, but much worse than in developed countries. One of the key elements for successfully overcoming the problem of housing quantity and quality is a well-functioning system for financing housing. Creating such a system is of crucial importance for Belarus. One important component of a housing finance system is a contractual savings for housing (CSH) scheme.
PP/03/05 Reforms in the Belarusian Electricity Sector: How to Reduce Costs and Dependence on Imported Resources (PDF/74Kb) [21/12/2004]
Rakova, E., Pavel, F.
The Belarusian electricity sector is highly dependant on imported gas from Russia. The recent price increases for imported gas immediately translated into higher power tariffs. This problem raises the question of how best to structure the sector so that power price increases are as modest at possible, while the sector operates in an economically sustainable manner (i.e. without accumulating losses).
PP/02/05 Presumptive Taxation of Agriculture: International Experience and Implications for Belarus (PDF/49Kb) [20/12/2004]
Valevich, Y., von Cramon-Taubadel, S.
Presumptive taxation is employed primarily when specific groups of taxpayers are hard to tax and administrative resources are scarce. This type of taxation is considered as optimal method of curbing widespread non-compliance without employing excessive government resources. At the same time, it provides taxpayers with a simplified option for tax compliance without requiring full financial transparency.
PP/01/05 Guarantee Funds for SME Loans (PDF/71Kb) [19/12/2004]
Kruk, D., Giucci, R.
This paper deals with the establishment of guarantee funds for loans to SMEs, intended as a tool for improving their access to capital. Because the main obstacle for proper access to capital is that the SMEs lack the collateral, which banks require, guarantee funds could be useful to mitigate this problem, but only as a supplementary tool among others.
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