Asura.Kingnobody said: »
Except they are using their estimate to report it. So, explain that away.
They are reporting it to Eurostat.
After re-reading your posts I think you have no (or very limited) understanding of how the EU works.
The EU does not govern criminal activity. Each country decides what is criminal or not. E.g. Prostitution is legal in the netherlands but pimping and certain types of brothels are illegal in spain.
Part of the reason the EU wants countries to report these statistics to Eurostat is to better compare the markets within the EU.
So while the EU is a government body it does not regulate criminal proceedings.
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The estimation is not the issue, it is the reporting and including the estimated amounts in GDP that is. Also, explain that away too.
Actually, I think the estimate (and how it is calculated) is an issue but you are stuck on reporting.
While GDP numbers are used by news casters as a way of comparing countries *** size that's not what it is intended for. It is meant to be used to examine finances of the total market.
GDP methodoligies are not standard throughout the world. However, when you download GDP data from Eurostat you get more detailed information including industries. If you want to exclude prostitution (or other black markets) from the analysis that is a possiblity.
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I would rather have governments use the estimates to combat these issues, instead of using the estimates as part of their GDP to boost their perceived economy. Kindof like how China is reporting their GDP.
Do you want the EU nations to have the same level of disbelief of their reported figures as official China numbers are?
Do you want the EU nations to have the same level of disbelief of their reported figures as official China numbers are?
You have absolutely no idea what these governments are using the data for.
It is not an artifical boost (if the estimates are methodologically sound). GDP doesn't just mean legal activities or activities that are taxed. It is the total economic output.
If the black market accounts for 5% of the total GDP that is significant and needs to be examined.
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I'm using logic to determine that not enough is being done if the estimates keep growing.
If laws are there to help prevent said activities, and yet, these estimates grow (to the point that they are considered to be part of GDP), then what is the point in having those laws in the first place? And why aren't they doing anything to stem the growth?
If laws are there to help prevent said activities, and yet, these estimates grow (to the point that they are considered to be part of GDP), then what is the point in having those laws in the first place? And why aren't they doing anything to stem the growth?
You aren't using logic. You are making broad assumptions based on very little knowledge or research.
Each country has different criminal laws. What's legal in one can be illegal in another.
How do you know the countries are doing nothing? How do you know the black market is growing in each country?
Again, GDP is total economic output.
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Sorry, I guess 3rd party research into these haven't existed for years and are ignored by said governments. Not my fault the EU had it's head in the ground for years and finally started to wake up to the fact of these issues.
Unless you still consider this a new statistic because it hasn't been a century of historical evidence to prove these numbers....
Unless you still consider this a new statistic because it hasn't been a century of historical evidence to prove these numbers....
As in a new statistic that each country had to provide to Eurostat along with the methodology they used to get that statistic.
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I didn't say that it was made legal, I said that the perception of legality could be argued in a court of law. There is a big difference there, and I would expect an "economist" (which I still don't believe you to be, as you have proven with your lack of knowledge of economic law) to know the difference between legal and perception of law.
I know this might be hard to grasp, but not every country in the world has the same criminal legal system.
US follows common law, a lot of countries in EU follow civil law. This changes how defendants are defended.
