News
Housing policy in the spotlight
Our latest study, which we carried out on behalf of the Verband Immobilien Schweiz (VIS), shows which households may have financial problems with housing costs. The salient features of these households are:
single - settled in a moderately populated region - tend to consume a lot of living space per person - low-income.
In order to relieve the burden on households, the state has two social policy instruments at its disposal: supply-side and demand-side subsidies. The former subsidises housing directly, while the latter supports households with housing allowances. Supply-side subsidy is mainly realised through the housing stock of cities and municipalities, while demand-side subsidy support is primarily provided via social welfare and AHV/IV supplementary benefits. Our calculations show that the public sector currently spends roughly the same amount per supported household on subsidised housing as on housing allowances: on average around CHF 5,000 per year. However, housing allowances are more targeted, as it almost exclusively benefits households in need.
Based on the demand-side subsidy systems currently in place in Switzerland, we estimate the costs of extending these systems to all overburdened households. This shows that in an expanded system of demand-side support, around 50 per cent more low-income households could be supported with the funds currently used for supply-side support than is currently the case.
A new publication written by Swiss Economics.
The research article «Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare» by Swiss Economics and researchers from the University of Zurich shows how service providers exempted from the obligation to pay a value-added tax are favoured in competition. Further, this unequal treatment substantially affects outsourcing decisions and the labour market.
Helmut Dietl, Christian Jaag, Markus Lang, Martin Lutzenberger and Urs Trinkner (2011). «Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare». In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 267-280.
Published in the same book: Maegli Martin, Christian Jaag, Martin Koller and Urs Trinkner (2011). «Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: Implications for Regulatory Practices and Institutions in Europe». In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 109-122.
An article by Christian Jaag and Urs Trinkner has been published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
The research article «The interaction between universal service costing and financing in the postal sector: a calibrated approach» by Christian Jaag and Urs Trinkner has been published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Yet another case of unintended consequences: VAT exemption and the public interest» at the DG MARKT economic seminar.
The presentation illustrates the distortive effects of VAT exemptions on competition in a newly liberalized industry and how they can be included in the calculation of the net cost of universal service obligations.
Swiss Economics presented the paper «An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries».
Swiss Economics presented the paper «An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries» at the 2010 Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
In addition to a theoretical framework, he also presented two applications: Liberalization in network industries and the development of regulation in the postal sector.
Swiss Economics welcomes Oliver Fürst as a new staff member!
Oliver Fürst holds a Master of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Zurich. At Swiss Economics he works as a consultant for strategy and regulation in network industries.
Swiss Economics contributed three new research papers to the Conference on Trends and Innovation for the Postal Market.
Post Office Network Realignments and their Impact on Innovation
To the presentation
Postal Regulation, Declining Mail Volumes, and the Transformation of Business Models?
To the presentation
Postal markets and electronic substitution: What is the impact of intermodal competition on regulatory practices and institutions? The paper has received the «best paper award».
To the document
Swiss Economics contributed with three presentations to the 18th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics.
- Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare
- Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: What is the Impact of Convergence on Regulatory Practices and Institutions?
- Practical Approaches to USO Costing and Financing
At the «Second Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries» Christian Jaag has given a presentation on «Approaches to FTTH-Regulation: An International Comparison».
Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Approaches to FTTH-Regulation: An International Comparison» at the 2nd Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
A presentation by Urs Trinkner.
At the «IPC Senior Executive Forum on Regulation» Urs Trinkner has given a presentation on «Shaping the USO? An Outline of Thought from an Economic Perspective».
A presentation by Christian Jaag.
At the 42nd Freiburger Verkehrsseminar, Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Preisobergrenzen in liberalisierten Postmärkten» (in German).
A new publication written by Swiss Economics.
The research article «Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare» by Swiss Economics and researchers from the University of Zurich shows how service providers exempted from the obligation to pay a value-added tax are favoured in competition. Further, this unequal treatment substantially affects outsourcing decisions and the labour market.
Helmut Dietl, Christian Jaag, Markus Lang, Martin Lutzenberger and Urs Trinkner (2011). «Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare». In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 267-280.
Published in the same book: Maegli Martin, Christian Jaag, Martin Koller and Urs Trinkner (2011). «Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: Implications for Regulatory Practices and Institutions in Europe». In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 109-122.
An article by Christian Jaag and Urs Trinkner has been published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
The research article «The interaction between universal service costing and financing in the postal sector: a calibrated approach» by Christian Jaag and Urs Trinkner has been published in the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Yet another case of unintended consequences: VAT exemption and the public interest» at the DG MARKT economic seminar.
The presentation illustrates the distortive effects of VAT exemptions on competition in a newly liberalized industry and how they can be included in the calculation of the net cost of universal service obligations.
Swiss Economics presented the paper «An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries».
Swiss Economics presented the paper «An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries» at the 2010 Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
In addition to a theoretical framework, he also presented two applications: Liberalization in network industries and the development of regulation in the postal sector.
Swiss Economics welcomes Oliver Fürst as a new staff member!
Oliver Fürst holds a Master of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Zurich. At Swiss Economics he works as a consultant for strategy and regulation in network industries.
Swiss Economics contributed three new research papers to the Conference on Trends and Innovation for the Postal Market.
Post Office Network Realignments and their Impact on Innovation
To the presentation
Postal Regulation, Declining Mail Volumes, and the Transformation of Business Models?
To the presentation
Postal markets and electronic substitution: What is the impact of intermodal competition on regulatory practices and institutions? The paper has received the «best paper award».
To the document
Swiss Economics contributed with three presentations to the 18th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics.
- Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare
- Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: What is the Impact of Convergence on Regulatory Practices and Institutions?
- Practical Approaches to USO Costing and Financing
At the «Second Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries» Christian Jaag has given a presentation on «Approaches to FTTH-Regulation: An International Comparison».
Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Approaches to FTTH-Regulation: An International Comparison» at the 2nd Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
A presentation by Urs Trinkner.
At the «IPC Senior Executive Forum on Regulation» Urs Trinkner has given a presentation on «Shaping the USO? An Outline of Thought from an Economic Perspective».
A presentation by Christian Jaag.
At the 42nd Freiburger Verkehrsseminar, Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Preisobergrenzen in liberalisierten Postmärkten» (in German).