## Baltic Cluster Report: Staff Report for the 2014 Cluster Consultation

_IMF Staff Country Reports, May 8, 2014_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Baltic Cluster Report: Staff Report for the 2014 Cluster Consultation](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2016/12/31/baltic-cluster-report-staff-report-for-the-2014-cluster-consultation-41540)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2016/12/31/baltic-cluster-report-staff-report-for-the-2014-cluster-consultation-41540/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2016/12/31/baltic-cluster-report-staff-report-for-the-2014-cluster-consultation-41540/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/cr/issues/2016/12/31/baltic-cluster-report-staff-report-for-the-2014-cluster-consultation-41540/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: May 8, 2014
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484377741.002

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### Summary
- Examines common themes and challenges facing the three Baltic countries—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
- Identifies common features and common challenges across the three economies.
- Discusses policies—both national and joint—that could help address these challenges.
- Notes that the Baltic economies have performed well during the last two decades.
- Observes that the global financial crisis exposed vulnerabilities that had built up in the Baltics, while the postcrisis recovery revealed inherent strengths.
- Concludes that national policies are necessary to address all of the challenges, but collaboration is also important in some areas.

### Major themes and areas of focus
- Credit
- Exports and export product mix
- International trade
- Labor: unemployment, skill mismatch, NAIRU estimate
- Labor taxes
- Money and taxation

### Key findings (as described in the report)
- The three Baltic economies share common strengths developed over the last two decades.
- The global financial crisis revealed pre-existing vulnerabilities in the Baltics.
- The postcrisis recovery demonstrated inherent strengths in the Baltic economies.
- While national policy action is required for all identified challenges, there are specific areas where cross-country collaboration can add value.

### Policy directions and discussions
- The report discusses both national and joint policies that could help address shared challenges in the Baltics.
- Emphasizes the role of national policies while highlighting areas where collaboration among Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania would be beneficial.

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## Content in this bundle

- **_cr14116**
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  - [_cr14116 (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/scr/2014/_cr14116.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2016/12/31/baltic-cluster-report-staff-report-for-the-2014-cluster-consultation-41540_