In the context of a still high unemployment rate, the recurring debate around the Social security deficits calls for an enlargement of the way growing needs could be financed. A solution that has recently been contemplated would lie in the introduction of a new contribution on the value-added...

The deficit of health insurance, about 1 percentage point of GDP mainly results from the economic crisis which reduced social contributions. This deficit contributes to the automatic stabilization of the economy and it should disappear with the return of growth. As far as it is not returned, the...