OECD economic surveys : Poland [March] 2012
OECD Pub.
2012
EISBN 9264127291
Table of contents; Basic statistics of Poland, 2010; Executive summary; Assessment and recommendations; Towards a soft landing?; A star growth performer within the OECD; Figure 1. Poland has outperformed OECD countries in GDP growth outcomes; Figure 2. Diverging dynamics in public and private investments; Table 1. Recent trends and outlook; Figure 3. Excess demand and weakened public finances; The economy is likely to slow down; There are significant downside risks for the economic outlook; The sizeable current account deficit has been increasingly financed by potentially unstable inflows
Table 2. Current account and selected balance of payments itemsFigure 4. Strong appetite for Polish government bonds despite an increase in risk aversion; Table 3. External vulnerabilities; The financial system seems sound; Figure 5. Credit developments; Currency mismatches raise specific concerns; High unemployment is weighing on wage gains; Figure 6. High unemployment weighs on wages; Figure 7. Monetary policy has tended to be accommodative; The macroeconomic policy mix is appropriate in the baseline scenario
Box 1. The weakening of the second pension pillar will probably lower public debt and already low replacement ratesFigure 8. Impact of the 2011 change in the pension system on long-term fiscal sustainability; But policy can and should be eased, should a sharper economic downturn ensue; The exchange-rate rule for the conversion of foreign-exchange-denominated debt should be changed; The fiscal framework should be strengthened and made more transparent; There are many possible avenues for further fiscal consolidation in the medium term; Box 2. Main macroeconomic policy recommendations
Structural reforms can boost economic performanceImproving labour-market performance; Figure 9. Labour market structural indicators; Additional priorities for structural reform; Box 3. Main structural policy recommendations to improve economic performance; Improving the health-care system; Health outcomes are relatively weak, related spending low and the budget constraint tight; Figure 10. Poland's health outcomes are rather mediocre; Figure 11. Health expenditures are modest but consistent with the level of economic development; Figure 12. Structure of the health-care system's revenues, 2009
Growing health-related needs will exert manageable strains on public financesAccess to care is inequitably restricted; Waiting times should be shortened...; Figure 13. Access to care is restricted, 2009 or closest year; ... and out-of-pocket payments reduced, at least for the those on low incomes; Allocation of resources to hospitals should be streamlined and management skills strengthened; A broad strategy for long-term care is needed; Human resources should be used more efficiently and expanded; Figure 14. Health professionals are lacking
Box 4. Main policy recommendations regarding health-care provision
OECD's 2012 Economic Survey of Poland examines recent economic developments, policies, and prospects. It also includes special chapters covering climate change and health care.
Table 2. Current account and selected balance of payments itemsFigure 4. Strong appetite for Polish government bonds despite an increase in risk aversion; Table 3. External vulnerabilities; The financial system seems sound; Figure 5. Credit developments; Currency mismatches raise specific concerns; High unemployment is weighing on wage gains; Figure 6. High unemployment weighs on wages; Figure 7. Monetary policy has tended to be accommodative; The macroeconomic policy mix is appropriate in the baseline scenario
Box 1. The weakening of the second pension pillar will probably lower public debt and already low replacement ratesFigure 8. Impact of the 2011 change in the pension system on long-term fiscal sustainability; But policy can and should be eased, should a sharper economic downturn ensue; The exchange-rate rule for the conversion of foreign-exchange-denominated debt should be changed; The fiscal framework should be strengthened and made more transparent; There are many possible avenues for further fiscal consolidation in the medium term; Box 2. Main macroeconomic policy recommendations
Structural reforms can boost economic performanceImproving labour-market performance; Figure 9. Labour market structural indicators; Additional priorities for structural reform; Box 3. Main structural policy recommendations to improve economic performance; Improving the health-care system; Health outcomes are relatively weak, related spending low and the budget constraint tight; Figure 10. Poland's health outcomes are rather mediocre; Figure 11. Health expenditures are modest but consistent with the level of economic development; Figure 12. Structure of the health-care system's revenues, 2009
Growing health-related needs will exert manageable strains on public financesAccess to care is inequitably restricted; Waiting times should be shortened...; Figure 13. Access to care is restricted, 2009 or closest year; ... and out-of-pocket payments reduced, at least for the those on low incomes; Allocation of resources to hospitals should be streamlined and management skills strengthened; A broad strategy for long-term care is needed; Human resources should be used more efficiently and expanded; Figure 14. Health professionals are lacking
Box 4. Main policy recommendations regarding health-care provision
OECD's 2012 Economic Survey of Poland examines recent economic developments, policies, and prospects. It also includes special chapters covering climate change and health care.
