On 1 January 1999 eleven EU Member States adopted a new currency - the euro. The introduction of the euro was a remarkable feat in the history of European monetary, financial, economic and political integration. It was an event of worldwide significance. Despite much criticism and predictions...

Italy's adoption of the euro in 1999 was hailed as a major political achievement and an opportunity to secure macroeconomic stability and push through reforms which domestic institutional and political weaknesses would otherwise have made difficult. At the same time, it was clear that the single...

This book analyses the impact of European tax and benefit systems on incentives to create and take up jobs. European policymakers face tough choices as reforms to these systems are costly, and recognising and understanding the complex tradeoffs involved - a pre-condition to pushing the reform...