Tinbergen institute Job marketDutch Ministry of Finance

Charles Wijnker

16 May 2003

The topics

• What does the Ministry of Finance look like&do?

•What do I do there?

•What’s the environment and culture?

•Some examples

•Job opportunities

MinisterHans Hoogervorst

Secretary ofstateSteven van Eijck

Secretary general

TreasuryDirectorat-

General of the budget

Directorat-General for Tax affairs

Directorat-General of

Tax collection

What does the ministry look like?

Secretary general

TreasuryDirectorat-

General of the budget

Directorat-General for Tax affairs

Directorat-General of

Tax collection

What will it soon look like?

What does it do?

National and international financial policy (supervision on fin markets, EMU)

Budget guard dog (budget rules, keeping eye on all government parts) not just saying no

Tax policy (tax change 2001) Tax collection (blue envelopes)

What do I do?

In Treasury, Financial and economic policy directorate

auctions (not UMTS!) labour market health care reform: towards managed

competition

What culture?

Formal looks but informal atmosphere. Direct contact with politicians Down to earth Young

What context: fun for an economist?

Depends a lot on function Large part of ministry: no accounting but economics Bridging the gap between research and decision making Political context Variety of subjects: from taxes to health care Relations in the Hague, but also abroad (Brussels,

Washington)

An example: auction of petrol stations

Lack of competition due to wrong gov policy Highly concentrated market legal complications (given rights, EU) Political constraints Looking for third best Chosen solution: obliged reduction of market

share of G4 Auction design which limits strategic behaviour

Another one: health care reform

Current central budgetting system seems out of control

New system needed: probably coalition agreement will decide on that

Managed competition To avoid adverse selection: one insurance and

compensation for risks Key to succes: higher price sensitivity of

demand

Job opportunities

New government: spending cuts, less civil servants

However: dynamic internal job market