Citation
(2006), "Bulgaria needs to act", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 55 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm.2006.07955hab.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Bulgaria needs to act
According to a recent world Bank report, if Bulgaria wants to narrow the income gap and speed up convergence with the European Union, it needs to boost employment and productivity.
The report entitled The Road To Successful EU Integration – The Policy Agenda, suggests that labour market reforms are vital if Bulgaria is to narrow the income gap with the EU and improve living standards, especially bearing in mind the country’s declining population. Bulgaria’s population is declining by 0.8 percent per year due to a negative natural rate of population growth and out-migration; this has led to a declining and rapidly ageing population.
The World Bank recommended to the Bulgarian government a reform agenda focused on five areas that should speed up convergence with the EU. This agenda includes improving the quantity and quality of human capital, upgrading the transport network, promoting efficient and transparent public sector management, improving labour market performance, reducing regulatory complexity and judicial reform to strengthen the enforcement of contracts.