Europe & CIS

Situation analysis:
Economic development and policy reforms have been uneven in many countries of the post-communist bloc. Whereas there are numerous explanations for this, a specific one is the paucity of experienced, independent (non-governmental) analytically based organizations capable of providing informed policy alternatives. These centers are under-funded, under-equipped in terms of infrastructure, appropriate skills, and staff and under-utilized by state authorities and international development actors. Economists working for them frequently lack adequate research and advisory skills that would enable them to translate their economic expertise into effective advice for policy-makers and the public.
 

Proposed programme:
To address these issues, the Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS (RBEC) of UNDP established the Economic Policy Institutes Network (EPIN) in 2004 to support the capacity of economic institutes in the region to provide quality policy advice. The first phase of EPIN focused on establishing networks and developing the capacity of the institutes involved.
The next phase of this initiative addresses deficiencies and related gaps by (1) strengthening national policy analysis and development capacity through support to independent economic policy research institutes and (2) facilitation of the transfer of knowledge from successful transition countries (especially the new EU member states, but not only) to the socio-economic development of other states farther east. 
 

Anticipated results:
A key result is the strengthened ability of economic policy think-tanks in the region to provide high-quality policy analysis. Economists working for these institutes will have a better ability to translate their economic expertise into effective advice for policy-makers and the public. The transfer of knowledge from successful transition economies to less successful ones will be further promoted.

Current status: 

• The EPIN web portal (www.epinetwork.org) is constantly updated and offers free of charge online services to researchers and partner institutions in the region (i.e. latest publications, individual profiles, online learning, online communities and a job portal). The EPIN portal is intended to facilitate knowledge and information exchange among the network members and the wider public interested in economic policy.
• In 2008 a new Small Grant Scheme for young researchers has been launched with a call for papers disseminated in February. A workshop has been organized in Tashkent to train selected researchers on how to design evidence based policy research.
• In December 2008 an annual EPIN conference will be organized. There the new strategy of the network will be presented and discussed.

Massimiliano Riva