Barbiero, Fr., Darvas, Zs., “In sickness and in health: protecting and supporting public investment in Europe”, Bruegel Policy Contribution, Issue 2014/02. The long-term decline in gross public investment in European Union countries mirrors the trend in other advanced economies, but recent developments have been different: public investment has increased elsewhere, but in the EU it has declined and even collapsed in the most vulnerable countries, exaggerating the output fall. The …Read More
Preparing the ground for countering fragmentation
Emmanoulidis, J., (2014), “Preparing the ground for countering fragmentation”, Bepa Monthly Brief, December 2013-January 2014, Issue 70. 2014 is a year of transition with an uncertain outcome regarding the future steps of European integration. Following years of deep crisis, the new EU leadership and national capitals will together have to decide which way they want to go in the years to come. The outcome of this venture is unclear. But …Read More
Tracking the causes of Eurozone external imbalances: New evidence
Sanchez, J., Varoudakis, Ar., (2014), “Tracking the causes of Eurozone external imbalances: New evidence”, 6 Φεβρουαρίου. External imbalances within the Eurozone grew substantially between the introduction of the euro in 1999 and the global financial crisis of 2008–09. Using new empirical evidence, this column argues that imbalances in the Eurozone periphery were mainly driven by a domestic demand boom, triggered by greater financial integration, with changes in the periphery’s competitiveness …Read More
A Critical Perspective on Economy, Modernity and Temporality in Contemporary Greece through the Prism of Energy Practice
Knight, D., (2014), “A Critical Perspective on Economy, Modernity and Temporality in Contemporary Greece through the Prism of Energy Practice”, Hellenic Observatory GreeSE Paper, N.81. During the Greek economic crisis a focus on energy practice highlights the temporal complexities of local coping strategies. Re-launched in 2011, the European Union supported solar energy initiative encourages installation of futuristic, high-tech photovoltaic panels on fertile agricultural land. Entangled with intricate notions of neo-colonialism …Read More
Ροές Μισθωτής Απασχόλησης στον Ιδιωτικό Τομέα-Ιανουάριος 2014
Μονάδα Τεκμηρίωσης Υπουργείου Εργασίας, (2014), «Ροές Μισθωτής Απασχόλησης στον Ιδιωτικό Τομέα-Ιανουάριος 2014», Αποτελέσματα Συστήματος Εργάνη. Το Υπουργείο Εργασίας, Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης και Πρόνοιας δημοσιοποιεί αναλυτικά στοιχεία και συγκριτικούς πίνακες που απεικονίζουν τις ροές μισθωτής απασχόλησης στον ιδιωτικό τομέα, όπως αυτές διαμορφώνονται στην αγορά εργασίας κατά το μήνα Ιανουάριο 2014. Παρουσιάζονται συγκριτικά στοιχεία με το αντίστοιχο περσινό διάστημα, το ισοζύγιο ροών μισθωτής απασχόλησης στον ιδιωτικό τομέα ανά φύλο και ηλικιακή ομάδα, ανά …Read More
From sick man of Europe to economic superstar: Germany’s resurgence and the lessons for Europe
Dustmann, Chr., Fitzenberger, B., Schönberg, U., Spitz-Oener, Al., “From sick man of Europe to economic superstar: Germany’s resurgence and the lessons for Europe”, www.voxeu.org, 3 Φεβρουαρίου. In a slow-growth, high-unemployment continent, Germany’s performance stands out. The success is often ascribed to the politically difficult Hartz labour-market reforms. This column discusses evidence to the contrary. The Hartz reforms played no essential role. Rather, the key was the threat of offshoring to …Read More
Framing Banking Union in the Euro Area: Some empirical evidence
Valante, D., (2014), “Framing Banking Union in the Euro Area: Some empirical evidence”, CEPS Working Document, N. 389/February 2014. Evidence shows that financial integration in the euro area is retrenching at a quicker pace than outside the union. Home bias persists: Governments compete on funding costs by supporting ‘their’ banks with massive state aids, which distorts the playing field and feeds the risk-aversion loop. This situation intensifies friction in credit …Read More
EU Anti-Corruption Report
European Commission, (2014), “EU Anti-Corruption Report”, COM (2014) 38 final. Corruption continues to be a big challenge for Europe – a phenomenon that costs the EU economy around 120 billion euros per year. Europeans are deeply worried about corruption – 76% of them believe that corruption is widespread according to a recent Eurobarometer survey.
Third European Quality of Life Survey – Quality of life in Europe: Trends 2003–2012
Eurofound, (2014), “Third European Quality of Life Survey – Quality of life in Europe: Trends 2003–2012”, 27 Ιανουαρίου. This report compares the results from the three waves to provide evidence of trends and change in the quality of life of Europeans over a decade. It also examines whether differences across EU Member States have narrowed or remained stable. One of its findings is that subjective well-being has remained stable across …Read More
Labour market risks and political preferences: The case of temporary employment
Marx, P., (2014), “Labour market risks and political preferences: The case of temporary employment”, European Journal of Political Research, Vol. 53, Issue 1, pp.136-159. The political economy literature has gathered compelling evidence that labour market risks shape political preferences. Accordingly, insecurity fuels support for redistribution and left parties. This article analyses this argument for temporary workers, a so far neglected risk category which has increased dramatically in the past two …Read More