INTERECONOMICS, Vol 47, No. 1, January/February 2012
Forum: Challenges Facing European Labour Markets: Is a Skill Upgrade the Appropriate Instrument?
By Stefano Scarpetta, Anne Sonnet, Ilias Livanos, Imanol Núñez, W. Craig Riddel, Xueda Song, Ilaria Maselli
The financial and economic crisis shattered the Lisbon Strategy’s attempt to increase the EU’s employment rate to 70% among 15-64 year olds by 2010. The new Europe 2020 strategy envisages a 75% adult employment rate by 2020; however, this goal also seems unrealistic in light of the economic crisis which has caused the EU’s employment rate to drop significantly below 70%. A crucial question now is whether a skill upgrade of the European labour force would help to increase the employment rate, especially among youth. This Forum explores the relationship between education and employment throughout the EU.
Editorial: The True Significance of the EFSF Downgrade
By Jörg Rocholl