We conduct a comparative analysis of Labor Market Policies and outcomes for the EU member states, for the period 2000-2005. We document the main differences in Labor Market Policies across EU members, including new member states after 2004. We focus on indicators of policy generosity...

This paper analyzes the effect of firing costs on aggregate productivity growth. For this purpose, a model of endogenous growth through selection and imitation is developed. It is consistent with recent evidence on firm dynamics and on the importance of reallocation for productivity growth. In...

Das ifo Institut hat bereits zu Beginn des europäischen Liberalisierungsprozesses die Organisation von Regulierungsbehörden untersucht. Der vorliegende Report knüpft mit einem internationalen Vergleich der Regulierungsinstitutionen an diese Arbeiten an. Am Beispiel der...

The enlargement of the European Union towards the East from May 2004 has generated an increase of about 100 million inhabitants in the EU-15, and has especially brought along big challenges and important opportunities both for the new countries and for the ""Old Europe"". This is the main idea...