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The paper aims to estimate the size of shadow economy (SE) and tax evasion (TE) in Romania for the period 2000–2017. We apply different approaches – Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) model for the estimation of the size of the SE and the currency demand approach for the estimation of TE – in order to lay emphasis on peculiarities of these two phenomena. Empirical analysis reveals that SE acts as a substitute to formal economy while tax evasion is complement to GDP. Policy implications are that, given the different causes behind these two phenomena, the importance and consequences of SE and TE change over business cycle and they require different policy measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public procurement is a mechanism through which the public sector can benefit from the latest technological processes and assistance from the private sector, while retaining its position as the main decision-maker in setting and implementing investment policies. This paper aims to make a quantitative analysis in an attempt to identify, to what extend, the contracting authorities in Romania, given the increased demand for the purchase of IT equipment caused by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the recommendations of the European Commission in this field, have used, in their tender documents, evaluation criteria/factors specific to circular purchasing. In addition, the analysis aims to establish how the recycling and circularity process can be determined from the early stage of the tender documents, when establishing the evaluation factors that will directly impact the contract winner. Using principal component analysis and the Cronbach coefficient alpha combined with "the Varimax" method, the nature and the weight of the evaluation factors have been identified in a circular procurement process, considering the best value for money. The final findings represent a mix of criteria for IT circular procurement to be used to push the suppliers to clean/green production and to pull the market to a circular economy sales and consumption paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]