For Immediate Release
Contacts: Jim Weidman, (202) 675-1761, jim.weidman@heritage.org
Kate Dobbin, +44 207 573 4016, kate.dobbin@dowjones.com
INDEX: ECONOMIC FREEDOM EXPANDS
IN EUROPE, BUT MOUNTING “POLICY
BARRIERS” TO GROWTH PERSIST
WASHINGTON, JAN. 27, 2015—Europe became more economically free last
year, but factors such as costly labor regulations and high tax burdens are stifling its progress,
according to the 2015 Index of Economic Freedom, published by The Wall Street Journal and
The Heritage Foundation.
The vast majority of the region’s economies are at least “moderately free” by Index
standards. But the editors note that growing tax and labor burdens, along with high public
spending and market-distorting subsidies, have brought stagnant growth and mounting debt. In
many countries, they say, there is a serious need to cut spending.
Countries that have enacted policies to curtail spending and shrink government -- such as
Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia -- “are on the move toward greater economic freedom,” the
editors write. They have overcome severe recessions, moving up in the Index rankings every year
since 2012, and outperforming older members of the European Union such as Spain, Portugal,
France and Italy.
The region is led by Switzerland, which ranks fifth worldwide and is Europe’s only
“free” economy. Many of its other economies, including Ireland (another global top-ten
finisher), Denmark, United Kingdom and Germany, logged higher scores this year. But it also
features four “mostly unfree” economies (Russia, Greece, Moldova and Bosnia/Herzegovina)
and two “repressed” ones (Ukraine and Belarus, whose 0.3-point loss moved it into the
“repressed” category).
Launched in 1995, the Index evaluates countries in four broad policy areas that affect
economic freedom: rule of law; limited government; regulatory efficiency; and open markets.
There are 10 specific categories: property rights, freedom from corruption, fiscal freedom,
government spending, business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, trade freedom,
investment freedom, and financial freedom. Scores in these categories are averaged to create an
overall score.
Economic freedom grew in 25 of Europe’s 43 countries, declined in 17 others, and
remained the same in one (Finland). Switzerland’s 1.1-point drop from its all-time high score of
81.6 in the 2014 Index places it 0.6 points from losing its “free” status. Among the countries that
charted scores at least one point lower: Austria, Belgium, Armenia, Macedonia, Luxembourg,
Albania, Turkey, France, Greece and Slovenia (a 2.4-point decline, the region’s worst).
The world average score of 60.4 is only one-tenth of a point above the 2014 average, but
represents a 2.8-point overall improvement since the inception of the Index in 1995. Thirty-seven
countries, including Taiwan, Israel, Poland and Colombia, achieved their highest-ever Index
scores. Among the 178 countries ranked, scores improved for 101 countries and declined for 73.
The 2015 Index was edited by Ambassador Terry Miller, director of Heritage’s Center for
Trade and Economics and Center for Data Analysis; and Anthony B. Kim, senior policy analyst
in the Center for Trade and Economics. Copies of the Index (492 pages, $24.95) may be ordered
online at www.heritage.org/index or by calling 1-800-975-8625. The full text, including charts
and graphs, also is available online.
About The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is a global news organization that provides leading news, information, commentary and
analysis. Published by Dow Jones which has nearly 2,000 journalists in more than 75 bureaus globally, The Wall
Street Journal engages readers across print, digital, mobile, social, and video. Building on its heritage as the
preeminent source of global business and financial news, the Journal includes coverage of U.S. & world news,
politics, arts, culture, lifestyle, sports, and health. It holds 35 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism.
About The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy research institute, with hundreds of
thousands of individual, foundation and corporate donors. Founded in 1973, Heritage develops public policy
solutions that advance free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional values and a strong
national defense.
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