This Selected Issues paper reviews recent developments in growth and employment in Bulgaria and highlights key constraints to growth suggested by cross-country competitiveness studies. Bulgaria’s GDP has grown substantially since economic and financial stabilization in 1997. The global...

Abstract Empirical evidence is mounting that, in advanced economies, changes in monetary policy have a more benign impact on the economy—given better anchored inflation expectations and inflation being less responsive to variation in unemployment—compared to the past. We examine another...

The global financial crisis has tested the effectiveness of supervision under the “Twin Peaks†model. The crisis revealed the strengths of the “Twin International Peaks†model, as decisions were able to be made in a timely manner to contain the crisis, and clear divisions of...

This 2014 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Dutch economy continues to improve, supported by exports, rising housing prices, and improving sentiment. Exports are rising on expanding global trade, but consumption remains sluggish as indebted households continue to save. The external...

KEY ISSUES Context: The union’s current account deficit–the key economic vulnerability flagged in the previous (2011) consultation–has declined over the past few years, including thanks to fiscal adjustment in Curaçao. But it remains large. Curaçao’s growth and job creation remain...

Denmark’s flexicurity model has performed well during the crisis. The actions and the improvement in economic conditions have restored overall stability to the banking system. Private consumption has been dented by the decline in housing prices and net household wealth. Exports have...