The Macroeconomics of Europe 2020 Reform Strategy and the Potential Effects on the Italian Economy

Government of the Italian Republic (Italy), Ministry of Economy and Finance, Department of the Treasury Working Paper No. 8

39 Pages Posted: 30 Nov 2011

See all articles by Barbara Annicchiarico

Barbara Annicchiarico

Roma Tre University - Department of Law

Fabio Di Dio

Sogei S.p.a.

Francesco Felici

Government of the Italian Republic (Italy) - Ministry of Economy and Finance - Department of the Treasury

Date Written: October 1, 2011

Abstract

This paper studies the potential effects on the Italian economy of various reform packages in the spirit of the Europe 2020 strategy. Using the European Commission’s model QUEST III with R&D calibrated to match important features of the Italian economy, we provide a quantitative assessment of the possible effects in terms of growth, employment, sustainability of public finances and external imbalances of several knowledge-oriented, labor and product market reforms. We observe that labor market reforms are likely to bring about sizable long-run gains in output and employment and that most of these gains accrue to low skilled workers, while real wages tend to increase especially for high skilled workers. Some interventions are likely to have some transitional costs as they give rise to a temporary decline in consumption and/or employment, but the simultaneous implementation of all reforms may tend to mitigate these effects already in the medium run. As a result of higher growth, in the no costly reform scenarios, the public debt-to-GDP ratio declines substantially. However, the analysis shows that non-budget neutral structural reforms may have considerable side effects on the external imbalances.

Keywords: Europe 2020, structural reforms, simulation analysis, Italy

JEL Classification: E10, E60, E47

Suggested Citation

Annicchiarico, Barbara and Di Dio, Fabio and Felici, Francesco, The Macroeconomics of Europe 2020 Reform Strategy and the Potential Effects on the Italian Economy (October 1, 2011). Government of the Italian Republic (Italy), Ministry of Economy and Finance, Department of the Treasury Working Paper No. 8 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1965930

Barbara Annicchiarico (Contact Author)

Roma Tre University - Department of Law ( email )

Via Ostiense 163
Roma, RM 00154
Italy

Fabio Di Dio

Sogei S.p.a. ( email )

Via Mario Carucci n. 99 e 85
Roma, 00143
Italy
+39068544 9092 (Phone)

Francesco Felici

Government of the Italian Republic (Italy) - Ministry of Economy and Finance - Department of the Treasury ( email )

Via XX Settembre, 97
Rome, 00187
Italy
00390647614197 (Phone)

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