This paper reviews the accumulated theory and evidence on the sources of European underperformance in terms of economic growth and unemployment. It takes the view that the main problem lies with labor market institutions, ranging from negotiation structures to hiring and firing costs,...

The EU has ambitious goals for economic performance. The goals are to be reached in combination with social cohesion and environmentally sustainable development. The main economic policy instruments to be used by the EU member states are taxes and benefits. The economic and political framework...

[From the Introduction]. The main purpose of this paper is to consider whether fiscal policy according to EMU’s constraints is sustainable particularly in the context of high unemployment and low growth. In this respect, this paper is mainly based on previous studies which developed possible...

[From the Introduction]. The main purpose of this paper is to consider whether fiscal policy according to EMU’s constraints is sustainable particularly in the context of high unemployment and low growth. In this respect, this paper is mainly based on previous studies which developed possible...

This paper considers two kinds of issues facing EMU. One concerns qualifications and membership: how qualifications are evaluated and which member states are likely to meet the criteria set for membership in the third stage of EMU in 1999. The other concerns the capacity of member states,...

This paper considers two kinds of issues facing EMU. One concerns qualifications and membership: how qualifications are evaluated and which member states are likely to meet the criteria set for membership in the third stage of EMU in 1999. The other concerns the capacity of member states,...

This paper presents a method for taking advantage of labour market transitions to identify the effects of financial incentives on employment decisions. The framework used is very flexible and by imposing few theoretical assumptions it allows us to extend the modelled sample relative to...

Many studies document that women with children tend to earn lower wages than women without children (a shortfall known as the ‘child penalty’ or ‘family gap’). Despite the existence of several hypotheses about the causes of the child penalty, much about the gap in wages remains...