This paper looks at the macroeconomic policy response to the Covid-19 crisis in the European Union (EU) and the prospects for long-term recovery under the Next Generation EU (NGEU) plan. It argues that, un­like what happened following the sovereign debt crisis of 2011-2012, the EU’s strong...

A volatile pattern of government spending and its financing triggers uncertainty about the timing and the costs of assets sale in financial markets, thereby leading to higher interest rates. This, in turn, hampers the extension of credit to businesses and individuals. The empirical results...