The recovery in Europe continues, supported by strong policy action to contain sovereign debt problems in the euro area. In advanced Europe, lingering uncertainties and market pressures make for moderate and unequal growth, creating challenges for macroeconomic and financial sector policies. The...

This issue of the Regional Economic Outlook for Europe examines the moderate and uneven recovery occurring across the region. The varying speed of recovery in advanced Europe is closely linked to the degree of overheating and credit expansion going into the crisis. The even more varied speed of...

The confluence of multiple adverse shocks—the turbulence in financial markets, high commodity prices, and the appreciation of the exchange rate—have depressed growth in Europe. At the same time commodity prices increases have boosted headline inflation. While containing inflation remains a...

Europe is facing slower growth as a result of protracted financial turbulence and spillovers from the U.S. Meanwhile, inflation has risen sharply. Policymakers in advanced economies will have to continue to support financial markets and balance risks to real activity with the need to anchor...

The May 2011 Regional Economic Outlook: Europe anticipates that recovery in the region will solidify, with recoveries in advanced and emerging Europe likely to be mutually reinforcing. Advanced Europe continues to absorb most of emerging Europe's exports, while the role of emerging Europe as a...

KEY ISSUES Context. Macroeconomic and financial stability has been maintained despite the difficult environment globally—especially in neighboring Greece—and recent domestic discord, but growth remains tepid and unemployment high. Ambitious (and politically challenging) reforms are needed to...

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 economic...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Stand-By Arrangement. A 20-month SBA in an amount of SDR 90.968 million (154 percent of quota) was approved by the Executive Board on April 27, 2012, and the first purchase of SDR 4.251 million was made available following the Board meeting (Country Report 12/100). The second...

KEY ISSUES Background: After its resilience during the global financial crisis, the Polish economy slowed substantially in 2012–13 as headwinds from the euro area and waning confidence added to the drag from fiscal consolidation. But economic activity is starting to recover, helped by strong...