Europe's growth outlook has weakened notably in the wake of the global financial crisis, and policy-makers are understandably preoccupied with achieving a near-term rebound. But sustained growth can only be achieved by also addressing the structural causes of low growth. One such element is...

Economists agree at least on this: it is difficult to find evidence for, or merely to imagine any growth mechanism that does not work through the increase of a stock of capital in one way or another. From a more policy point of view - in particular in terms of the debate of economic development...

It is not so long ago that policy makers thought that excessive regional disparities would disappear automatically in the long run. Arbitrage possibilities arising from competition and factor mobility were expected to induce a more than average growth performance in lagging regions. Having the...