The challenge now facing Europe is to develop an industrial policy combining technological and organisational innovation, capable of supporting a new model of growth based upon production using little energy and few resources and satisfying new societal needs.

This text discusses trends on the Estonian labour market during the years of rapid economic development and the subsequent economic crisis. The aim of the text is to describe changes in the field of employment and unemployment, as well as the problems facing vulnerable groups (young people,...

This paper outlines the social and economic consequences of the anti-crisis measures adopted in Ireland since 2008. The paper attempts to put the Irish case in an international context, comparing its experience with that of other selected EU countries. The study will concentrate on quantifiable...

The present study aims to provide a succinct but comprehensive account that will allow a better understanding of the economic and social impact of the measures implemented in Greece. To this end, the study takes stock of the hitherto implementation of the programme to elucidate its multiple...

On 13 February 2013, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted an opinion on "Nautical industries: restructuring accelerated by the crisis." The works that resulted in this opinion were backed by a public hearing organized in partnership with the European Boating Industry (Representing...

Radical labour market reforms were implemented in Germany between 2002 and 2005, reforms that overturned the received idea that Germany was suffering from "reform paralysis". However, the part of these reforms that specifically concerned labour law was very small; their main purpose was to...

The following study gives an overview of the current economic and social situation in Austria, with a particular focus on explaining the Austrian labour relations model and the importance of social partnership and its role in developments since the onset of the global economic crisis in...

The WTO Secretariat has published a new information note examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on world agricultural trade. The paper notes that agricultural trade has fared better than other sectors, and that initial measures focused on guaranteeing the immediate availability of food...

The WTO Secretariat has published an information note looking at how micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It notes the impact of supply chain disruptions on MSMEs and the extent to which smaller businesses are represented in the economic...

Are changes in services markets provoking reform, restrictions, or inertia? To address this question, we draw upon a new World Bank-WTO Services Trade Policy Database (STPD) to analyse the services trade policies of 68 economies in 23 subsectors across five broad areas—financial services,...