The Selected Issues paper provides an estimate of the output gap and potential output for Italy, and examines the sensitivity of the results to assumptions regarding employment and productivity growth. The paper focuses on the labor market more directly by examining the linkages between wage...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that a cyclical recovery is under way for Italy, with real GDP having risen by 1.2 percent in the first three quarters of 2004 relative to the same period of the previous year, thanks to the favorable external environment and a recovery of investment....

This Selected Issues paper applies a range of methods to assess Italy’s competitiveness gap versus other euro area members. All indicators point to a clear erosion of competitiveness in recent years, with related market share losses. Nonetheless, the estimated competitiveness gap, while...

This 2006 Article IV Consultation highlights that Italy’s economy is enjoying a broad-based, if comparatively modest, cyclical upswing. Output is estimated to have grown by 13⁄4 percent in 2006—the strongest pace since the beginning of the decade. Inflation is close to that of the euro...

This paper examines how international remittances are affected by structural characteristics, macroeconomic conditions, and adverse shocks in both source and recipient economies. We exploit a novel, rich panel data set, covering bilateral remittances from 103 Italian provinces to 107 developing...

This paper reviews capital taxation issues in Italy based on a comprehensive definition encompassing taxes on income, transactions, and ownership. It discusses options to enhance the neutrality of the capital income tax system, followed by a detailed analysis of the property tax, the inheritance...

The IMF has advised country authorities to roll back tax expenditures as a way to support fiscal consolidation efforts—urging them to evaluate tax expenditures according to clear criteria, and assessing their impact on public finances, economic efficiency, equity, and administrative and...

This Technical Note covers the insurance sector of Italy supervised by the Institution for the Supervision of Insurance in Italy. Notwithstanding the high level of compliance with the International Association of Insurance Supervisors principles, critical principles remain to be taken on. Twenty...

This Technical Note discusses findings of interconnectedness and spillover analysis on Italy. The market-based measures of tail risks and interconnectedness among key banks and insurance companies in Italy have declined from their peak but remain at elevated levels. Although the stress on Banca...

This Technical Note examines the financial situation of Italian households and nonfinancial corporations and risks to the banking system. The credit risk from Italian households is mitigated by their considerable net wealth. Income has declined during the crisis, leading to tighter financial...