on the evolution of unemployment as well as inactivity across European countries. Indeed, previous crises have typically … lead not only to more unemployment but also to larger numbers of discouraged unemployed and thus more inactivity. It … experienced higher unemployment. In many other countries, unemployment and inactivity remained remarkably stable despite covid-19. …

historically focussed on reducing unemployment (the tip of the iceberg), the group of inactive people (below the waterline) is much … larger. Therefore, we point to the clear limitations of the unemployment rate as the (single) key macro-economic indicator of … the health of the labour market. A parsimonious dashboard approach utilising the unemployment-to-population ratio and the …