A Feasible Unemployment-Based Shock Absorber for the Euro Area

Andrea Brandolini (), Francesca Carta and Francesco D'Amuri

No 97, IZA Policy Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper contributes to the debate on the design of a centralised fiscal tool absorbing country-specific negative shocks in the euro area. Based on theoretical insights, it identifies the broad characteristics that a shock absorber based on unemployment should have in order to be incentive-compatible and politically feasible. It then derives empirically the combination of activation thresholds, experience rating, eligibility criteria, and benefit generosity which define the systems offering the highest stabilisation for given levels of redistribution, accounting for the large variation in benefit take-up rates across European countries. The analysis suggests that the shock absorber should: i) give rise to macro cross-national transfers, mimicking those that would be generated by a notional euro-wide unemployment benefit scheme of minimal coverage and generosity; ii) be activated by a trigger; and iii) feature partial experience rating. The simulation results, confirmed by robustness checks, show that even systems that do not redistribute resources between countries can have a non-negligible stabilisation impact in the medium run. Low benefit take-up rates in Southern Europe substantially reduce the stabilisation properties and the size of the scheme.

Keywords: fiscal union; absorption of macroeconomic shocks; unemployment benefits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E6 H53 J65 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2015-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eec and nep-mac
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Forthcoming - published in: the Journal of Common Market Studies, 2016, 54 (5), 1123-1141

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Related works:
Journal Article: A Feasible Unemployment-Based Shock Absorber for the Euro Area (2016)
Working Paper: A feasible unemployment-based shock absorber for the Euro Area (2014)
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