This paper reviews theory and evidence of the welfare effects of inflation from a costbenefit perspective. Basic models and selected empirical results are discussed. Historically, in assessing the welfare effects of inflation, the distortion of money demand played a prominent role. More...

In this paper we examine the sustainability of euro area public finances against the backdrop of population ageing. We critically assess the widely used projections of the Working Group on Ageing Populations (AWG) of the EU's Economic Policy Committee and argue that ageing costs may be higher...

This paper analyses the sustainability of German public finance between 1996 and 2000 using a generational accounting approach. In contrast to previous studies based on generational accounting, the results are adjusted for cyclical and other temporary effects. This reduces the impact of...