The paper discusses some widely used methods for estimating output gaps based on aggregated datafor the Euro-zone. Though these methods exhibit some common features, an empirical comparisondemonstrates that the various techniques differ substantially. In particular, the correlation of output...

Externalities in leisure are considered an important reason for partners' joint retirement. This study quantifies the extent to which partners actually spend more leisure time "together" at retirement. Exploiting legal retirement age in France, we identify the effect of retirement on partners'...

The demand for institutional long-term care is likely to remain high in OECD countries, because of longer life expectancy and falling cohabitation rates of the elderly with family members. As shortages of qualified nurses put a cap on the supply of beds at nursing homes, excess demand builds....

Faced with the impossibility of reaching a political agreement to review the fiscal treaties, the Commission could limit itself to applying the current rules with flexibility, which would maintain an ambiguous situation: much ado about nothing.

Since the launch of the euro, persistent and even rising disparities among member states have made it difficult to implement short-term or structural common economic policies. The article gives an overview of Euro area disparities in terms of growth and inflation and imbalances, mainly...

In early 2013, the French economy, like many other EU economies, faces tough challenges. French GDP is 9 per cent below the level it would have reached had it continued to grow at its pre-crisis trend. France has committed to cut the public deficit to 3 per cent in 2013 and 0 per cent in 2017...