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The view that an institutional structure causes rigidities in the labour market is broadly accepted by policy makers. This assessment is conventionally based on unemployment theories that establish a link between labour market institutions and unemployment in the long run. Empirical research engages in investigation of whether the theoretical link between unemployment and labour market institutions could be proved to prevail. This paper provides an econometric analysis of the determinants of unemployment in the long run in a set of Central and Eastern European countries for the period of 2002–2012. Evidence that an institutional structure causes rigidities in the labour market and has a direct effect on the unemployment rate in these economies is found in this study. A set of non-structural indicators, accounted by macroeconomic shocks, also prove to have effects on the labour market outcomes. From a policy making perspective, such implications suggest that structural labour market reforms and increases in the overall flexibility of the labour market in these economies are necessary to bring unemployment rates down.

JEL Codes: E02, J60.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Lithuania.

This paper gives a broad descriptive overview on wage and price setting behaviour of Lithuanian firms during the last episode of the economic crisis in 2008–2009 and in the post-crisis period of 2010–2013. The evidence provided in this paper is based on the firm-level data from the third wave of the Wage Dynamic Network (WDN3) survey — the joint research project of the European Union (EU) countries launched within the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Wage and price setting strategies of Lithuanian firms were evaluated by relating firms’ decision-making to the macroeconomic, financial and institutional environment under which the firms are operating. The preliminary conclusion drawn in this paper is that both wages and prices show rather high degree of flexibility in Lithuania. Low wage rigidity should primarily be attributable to labour market institutions — low collective wage bargaining coverage and completely decentralised wage setting process. Easing of employment protection laws during the last episode of economic downturn might also have contributed to the increased wage flexibility in the after-crisis period.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Lithuania.