IOS Policy Issues Online

The IOS Policy Issues Online is an electronic publication series of the IOS that provides recurring commentary on current issues in politics and economics in an online format. The series has been suspended as an online format and will be continued by the Policy Issues series.

The Russian economy has been heavily dependent on the oil and gas incomes for decades. However, the times of easy oil and gas are over. Russia's reaction to the changing situation was the formulation of several new strategies that opt for technical and economic measures to save energy and improve energy efficiency. Are these measures appropriate? Can Russia really follow a path of energy saving and energy efficiency?

On 1 May 2011 the non-accession European Union (EU) countries will no longer be allowed to treat workers from eight Central and Eastern European countries that joined the Union on 1 May 2004 differently from other EU workers. Germany, unlike other non-accession Member States, has kept its labour market closed to workers from the acceding countries. Has Germany's strict immigration regime vis-à-vis the new Member States been a success over the past seven years? Will Germany once again become an important destination of migration from Central and Eastern Europe following 1 May 2011?

In 2010, Ukraine still is a laggard in many respects of economic reform. The Orange Revolution did not keep its promises. With the victory of the "blue" camp and the end of the political turmoil in the beginning of the year, the window of opportunity for reforms has opened again. Indeed, in June, the president released a new and comprehensive reform programme. Will it work?