We examine the relationship between institutions, culture and cyclical fluctuations for a sample of 45 European, Middle Eastern and North African countries. Better governance is associated with shorter and less severe contractions and milder expansions. Certain cultural traits, such as lack of...

This paper analyses the job retention schemes implemented in response to the Covid-19 crisis, showing quantitative trends and differences in terms of expenditure on the schemes and the number of workers involved. The key focus is on a qualitative analysis of the schemes' key properties. In order...

This working paper identifies some key areas of policy intervention for advancing socially sustainable and fair solutions for freelancers working in the creative industries, who are among those have suffered the most from the economic fallout of the Covid‑19 pandemic. In particular, we focus...

We exploit information on compulsory schooling reforms in 11 European countries, implemented mostly in the 1960s and 70s, to identify the impact of education on religious adherence and religious practices. Using micro data from the European Social Survey, conducted in various years between 2002...

This introductory essay briefly summarizes the eleven empirical studies of price setting and price adjustment that are included in this special issue. The studies, which use data from several European countries, were conducted as part of the European Central Bank's Inflation Persistence Network.

This working paper provides forecasts of changes in employment levels, in total, by sector and by different labour force groups in Europe, from 2022 to 2027. These forecasts of employment levels, both in terms of persons employed and in terms of hours worked, have been produced under three...

The risk of poverty is a key issue for European countries. Irrespective of the uneven evolution of that risk - a sharp increase in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008 followed by an overall decrease in the past few years - people at risk of poverty represent a key target of social...