Latest Press Releases

The rouble has hit a record low as a result of Western sanctions. The Russian central bank reacts with a dramatic interest rate hike, raising the key interest rate from 9.5 to 20 per cent. Professor Friedrich Heinemann, head of the Research Department “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance” at ZEW Mannheim, has commented on that matter:

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a veritable stress test for German fiscal policy. In the midst of the crisis, the debt brake has increasingly lost public support. Voter support for the debt brake was initially strong, but began to wane as it neared entry into force. In 2021, only 59 per cent of Germans still supported the debt ceiling, while 20 per cent said they had doubts about it. More than 60 per cent were in favour of returning to a balanced budget at a later date. These are the results of a representative survey co-authored by ZEW Mannheim.

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The EU Member States have agreed on a set of sanctions in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Professor Friedrich Heinemann, head of the Research Department “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance” at ZEW Mannheim, comments on the fiscal consequences of the war in Ukraine:

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Do metal processing companies in the USA make themselves appear more eco-friendly in terms of their sulphur dioxide emissions than they actually are? To investigate this, a team of researchers in collaboration with ZEW has applied a new method that combines satellite data with company data and web text mining.

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The currently very high consumer price inflation rates in the euro area are expected to remain well above the ECB’s two per cent target over the whole year 2022 before gradually declining in the medium and long term. High energy prices, scarcity of raw materials and problems in international supply chains are expected to be the main drivers of this high inflation, and are likely to last longer than previously forecast. In line with these results, the ECB is expected to increase its main refinancing rate, but only very gradually over the coming years. These are the results of a survey of financial market experts conducted by ZEW Mannheim.

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The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany increased in the current February 2022 survey, climbing 2.6 points to a new reading of 54.3 points. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany also improved in the current survey. The corresponding indicator rose 2.1 points to a level of minus 8.1 points.

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Internet users in Germany have become increasingly indifferent and ignorant about politics over a period of 15 years. In the beginning, the diffusion of the internet contributed to people being better informed politically, but this development has been reversed in later years. In the meantime, internet usage is on the rise – as is the users’ disinterest in politics. This is shown by a recent study by ZEW Mannheim.

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Many firms in Germany are planning to offer hybrid working arrangements after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus enabling employees to have a part-home, part-office schedule. A business survey conducted by ZEW Mannheim in December 2021 and January 2022 now provides further insights into firms’ expectations about the allocation of working hours in the long run. In both the information economy and the manufacturing industry, firms are mainly planning to offer hybrid models in which employees work from home 1-3 days per week. The share of employees who will work from home several times a week post COVID-19 is significantly higher than before the pandemic, according to the firms’ estimates.

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The EU Commission has adopted the planned EU taxonomy for sustainable investments. This is to define which financial investments are sustainable and which are not. Investments in nuclear power and natural gas are also classified as sustainable in the regulation under certain conditions. Professor Sebastian Rausch, head of the Research Department “Environmental and Resource Economics, Environmental Management” at ZEW Mannheim, has commented on this matter:

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The ZEW – Sponsors’ Association for Science and Practice at ZEW Mannheim has a new chairman: Dr. Ralph Rheinboldt, board member at Fuchs Petrolub SE, succeeds CEO of MVV Energie AG, Dr. Georg Müller, on 1 February 2022. After more than five successful years, Dr. Müller will retire from his position at the ZEW Sponsors’ Association for health reasons. Rheinboldt has already been a board member at the ZEW Sponsors’ Association since 2017.

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