INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STUDIES

Last July, the European Commission presented a proposal for a directive aimed at reforming the taxation of energy products and electricity. This proposal is part of the European Union’s (EU) efforts to reduce emissions and air pollution.

Teachers’ salaries are a topic every year. This time, however, it is different. In addition to internal arguments about the state of education, external developments – inflation and the public deficit – also play an important role. We describe how to approach teachers’ pay rises in this context in the new INESS publication, Teachers’ Pay with a Sober Head.

The demographic shift, i.e., the transition of the baby boomers to retirement age, is one of the biggest challenges of the future for Europe.

In Slovakia, the risks that private schools can pose to poor children are being debated. In particular, one such critic of private schools from Centre for Educational Analysis writes that “however, several studies show that instead of improving the quality of all schools, the unregulated establishment of private schools can deepen educational inequalities”.

The European Commission, as part of its DMA (Digital Markets Act) regulatory package, is addressing, amongst many aspects of the internet ecosystem, the broader agenda of third-party access to platforms. Specifically, this concerns so-called “business users” who use the platform to conduct their business.

Regulatory clouds are gathering over internet platforms. The European Commission is preparing a major regulatory package called the Digital Markets Act, which will significantly regulate many aspects of how large internet companies operate. In addition, many regulators and courts across Europe are starting to investigate or fine them. Let us look at one such persecuted platform - Amazon.

The European Commission is preparing a new regulation of internet companies called the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It is supposed to require or prohibit a number of activities from platforms, all under the slogan: "more fair, competitive and innovative business on the internet". However, good intentions are not enough. Creating good regulation is usually a superhuman feat for politicians. Creating good regulation in the dynamic and innovative environment of the internet, where often politicians and officials do not understand the business models of platforms at all, is even multiply more difficult. And that is why it has so far almost always ended in fiasco. All indications are that it will be no different for DMA regulation. 

Last year, the European Commission came up with proposals to regulate digital services in the form of the Digital Markets Act, which has the potential to significantly change the way the internet works in the EU. We have therefore covered this topic more extensively and in more depth in two analyses. 

Autumn has arrived and rising hospital admission numbers has arrived with it. Looking around, I get the feeling that the pandemic issue has been reduced to just the issue of hospitals. The vaccinated are already ignoring the pandemic on a personal level – and the unvaccinated are too. (Un)vaccination has become a hard political stance and nothing can be done about it.