Eurostat/GDP up by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU28/30 April 2019 Seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 0.4% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.5% in the EU28 during the first quarter of 2019, compared with the previous quarter, according to a preliminary flash estimate published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the fourth quarter of 2018, GDP had grown by …Read More
Eurostat/Unemployment rates in the EU regions ranged from 1.3% to 35.1%/29 April 2019 More than 80% of the NUTS 2 regions of the European Union (EU) saw their unemployment rate for persons aged 15-74 fall in 2018compared with 2017. Around60%recorded a decrease of at least 0.5 percentage points. However, regional unemployment rates continued to vary widely across the EU regions, with the lowest rates recorded in two Czech regions Prague …Read More
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré, Markus K Brunnermeier, Henrik Enderlein, Emmanuel Farhi, Marcel Fratzscher, Clemens Fuest, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Philippe Martin, Jean Pisani-Ferry, Hélène Rey, Isabel Schnabel, Nicolas Véron, Beatrice Weder di Mauro, Jeromin Zettelmeyer, (2019), “Euro area architecture: What reforms are still needed, and why”, VoxEU, 1 May In January 2018, CEPR published a Policy Insight recommending euro area reforms which received broad support as well as some criticism. In this column, the …Read More
Jean Pisany-Ferry, (2019), “When Facts Change, Change the Pact”, Project Syndicate, 29 April “When facts change, I change my mind,” John Maynard Keynes famously said. With long-term interest rates currently near zero, the European Union should reform its fiscal framework to allow member states to increase their debt-financed public investments. Relevant Posts Xavier Timbeau, (2019), «The sustainability imperative—how really to assess the European economy», Social Europe, 10 April Paul Taylor, …Read More
Ferdinando Giugliano, (2019), “The Real Crisis Risk at the ECB”, Bloomberg Opinion, 24 April The euro zone has only recently recovered from a double-dip recession, but there are already questions about how prepared it would be for a new crisis. All eyes are on the European Central Bank, which has been the strongest line of defense against an economic slowdown. While pessimists worry that the ECB has few tools left if …Read More
Eurostat/Euro area government deficit at 0.5% and EU28 at 0.6% of GDP/23 April 2019 In 2018, the government deficit and debt of both the euro area (EA19) and the EU28 decreased in relative term compared with 2017. In the euro area the government deficit to GDP ratio fell from 1.0% in 2017 to 0.5% in 2018, and in the EU28 from 1.0% to 0.6%. In the euro area the government …Read More
Thomas Blanchet, Lucan Chancel and Amory Gethin, (2019), “Forty years of inequality in Europe: Evidence from distributional national accounts”, VoxEU, 22 April Despite the growing importance of inequalities in policy debates, it is still difficult to compare inequality levels across European countries and to tell how European growth has been shared across income groups. This column draws on new evidence combining surveys, tax data, and national accounts to document a …Read More
Karl Aiginger, (2019), “Populism: Roots, consequences, and counter strategy”, 20 April Populism represents a challenge to liberal democracy, pluralism, human rights, and the exchange of ideas. This column examines the features and drivers of populism, as well as the potential strategic response by the EU and its member states. This includes a vision for Europe to become the role model for high-income societies providing well-being, lower unemployment, and less inequality, …Read More
Eurostat/Annual inflation down to 1.4% in the euro area/17 April 2019 The euro area annual inflation rate was 1.4% in March 2019, down from 1.5% in February 2019. A year earlier, the rate was 1.4%. European Union annual inflation was 1.6% in March 2019, stable compared to February 2019. A year earlier, the rate was 1.6%. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Relevant …Read More
Karim Bekhtiar, Pirmin Fessler, Peter Lindner, (2019), “Risky assets in Europe and the US: risk vulnerability, risk aversion and economic environment“, ECB Working Paper Series No 2270 , April We use cross-country microdata to analyse the risk taking of households in Europe and the US. Concerning the extensive as well as the intensive margin of risky assets, European households differ substantially from US households; but also inside Europe we document …Read More
