A growing literature documents the existence of strategic political reactions to public expenditure in one jurisdiction on either neighboring or reference jurisdictions. The latter might give raise to downward expenditure spiral, or "race to the bottom". However, in ascertaining the empirical...

Though close to the OECD average, France's product market is more regulated than in comparable large European countries. Barriers to competition are particularly high in services, which now account for about 79 percent of the economy. The Macron law would be an important step forward, though...