Exadaktylos, T., (2013), “Until Angela Merkel forms a governing coalition, Greece will continue to be in limbo”, European Politics and Policy Blog, 27 September. Following last weekend’s German elections, Theofanis Exadaktylos writes on the Greek reaction to Angela Merkel’s victory. He notes that the elections received extensive coverage in the Greek media due to their implications for the country’s economic crisis. Nevertheless, the general perception is that Germany is unlikely …Read More
Member States’ Competitiveness Performance and Implementation of EU Industrial Policy Report 2013
European Commission, (2013), “Member States’ Competitiveness Performance and Implementation of EU Industrial Policy report 2013”, European Commission, 25 September. Progress has been made by Member States to improve the competitiveness of their economies, but many challenges still remain. An updated Industrial performance scoreboard assesses Member States’ industrial performance in five key areas, namely innovation and sustainability; business environment, services and infrastructure; public administration; finance and investment; and skills. The areas …Read More
Messing up the next Greek debt relief could endanger the Eurozone
Wyplosz, C., (2013), “Messing up the next Greek debt relief could endanger the Eurozone”, VoxEU, 23 September. Greece is in dire straits; it will need more debt relief. This column argues that Greece is suffering because northern EZ countries kicked the can down the road by forcing crisis countries to borrow rather than restructure their debts early on. It is time for the ‘generous’ lenders to face the consequences of …Read More
Is there a path to political union?
Merler, S., (2013), “Is there a path to political union?”, Bruegel, 23 September. Over the last few months and ahead of much anticipated European elections in May 2014, there has been a growing debate about the scope for further integration and leaps towards a form of “political union”. Advocates point to the hard constraints that an incomplete political integration has imposed on the management and the resolution of the euro …Read More
Greek Fiscal Crisis and Repercussions for the Property Market
Vlamis, P., (2013), “Greek Fiscal Crisis and Repercussions for the Property Market”, Hellenic Observatory Papers on Greece and Southeast Europe, GreeSE Paper No.76, September. The aim of the paper is to present a review of the fiscal imbalances and debt crisis in Greece and identify the possible links with the recent developments in the Greek property market. We follow a non-technical approach to discuss a number of factors that have …Read More
A new Greek test for Europe
Mody, A., (2013), “A new Greek test for Europe”, Project Syndicate, 16 September. Over the last year, it has been easy to lose sight of the Greek debt crisis. Brimming with official funds, Greece was apparently on the mend. Though privatization plans lagged, the Greeks won high marks for doubling down on fiscal austerity. In Europe’s summer of quiet triumphalism, ever-lower expectations were easy to beat. But Greece is set …Read More
A Cautionary Tale: The true cost of austerity and inequality in Europe
Oxfam, (2013), “A Cautionary Tale: The true cost of austerity and inequality in Europe”, Oxfam Briefing Paper, 12 September. European austerity programmes have dismantled the mechanisms that reduce inequality and enable equitable growth. With inequality and poverty on the rise, Europe is facing a lost decade. An additional 15 to 25 million people across Europe could face the prospect of living in poverty by 2025 if austerity measures continue. Oxfam …Read More
Is Europe out of the woods?
Eichengreen, B., (2013), “Is Europe out of the woods?”, Project Syndicate, 11 September. And what happened in Greece would not stay in Greece. Once the process of euro exit had started, there was no telling where it would stop. The general feeling was that the common currency was doomed. CommentsView/Create comment on this paragraphIn fairness, this dark prognosis was not universally embraced. My own favorite recollection of this period is …Read More
Countries with higher rates of taxation tend to have happier citizens
Binder, D., (2013), “Countries with higher rates of taxation tend to have happier citizens”, European Politics and Policy Blog, 10 September. What impact does a country’s level of taxation have on the happiness of its citizens? Using OECD data, David Binder assesses the relationship between high taxation levels and measures of citizen wellbeing/happiness. He finds that there is a correlation between high taxation and increased happiness, but that there are …Read More
Euro-Zone Unemployment Unlikely to Fall Quickly
Billington, I., (2013), “Euro-Zone Unemployment Unlikely to Fall Quickly”, The Wall Street Journal, The Euro Crisis Blog, 10 September. The euro zone may have emerged from recession this year, but unemployment is unlikely to fall quickly with companies less likely to hire staff in the final three months of the year than they were earlier in 2013, a survey of employers showed Tuesday. The quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook shows that, while there …Read More