Economic policy challenges for Denmark

The 2019 OECD Economic Survey of Denmark will be published on 15 January 2019. Living standards and wellbeing are high in Denmark and a long tradition of reforms and strong institutions ensure that high economic performance can co-exist with low inequality. Nevertheless, productivity growth has been sluggish and has disappointed given good framework conditions and Denmark being a frontrunner on digitalisation. The survey discusses new policies and strategies to improve business framework conditions in a context of new technologies and new business models.

Mr. Schuknecht will give a brief overview of the survey and its key recommendations. He will then turn to his own research on linkages between the financial cycle and fiscal sustainability. While public finances are assessed to be sustainable in Denmark, lessons from fiscal-financial risks are highly relevant given the large financial sector and large pension savings. In addition, tax revenues have become increasingly difficult to project in Denmark, not least due to volatile revenues from the pension yield tax.

About Ludger Schuknecht

Ludger Schuknecht is Deputy Secretary General at the OECD since September 2018. He previously worked at the German Federal Ministry of Finance, where he held the position of Chief Economist. He advised the Minister on fiscal and economic policy issues and the international economy. He has had a long career in international organisations. Assignments included Senior Advisor at the European Central Bank (where he worked on fiscal policies, monetary policy decision-making and European policy coordination), the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation. Mr. Schuknecht studied Economics at LMU Munich University (Germany), George Mason University (United States), where he received an MA, and at the University of Konstanz (Germany) where he got his PhD. His research focuses on fiscal policies and its linkages to the financial sector and the international economy.

The event begins at 17:00 and takes place at CSS room 35.01.06.

Sandwiches and soft drinks / water will be served from 16:30 to 17:00.

Please register by writing to nof@nationalbanken.dk