11/10/2007 - 12/10/2007 : The 2007 DG ECFIN annual research conference

The creation of the single market and the introduction of the euro, the common currency, raise a number of questions concerning the effects of continued European economic integration on the growth rate and on the distribution of income in Europe. The link between growth and income distribution in Europe is complex; it touches upon a wide array of issues.

Main topics

The conference provided a platform for original contributions to analyse topics such as:

• The evolution of the distribution of income and wealth in Europe.
  What are the factors driving this evolution in Europe?
  Is Europe different from the rest of the world?
• The actual and potential impact of EMU and European economic integration on growth and income distribution.
  To what extent has EMU affected the distribution of income and growth?
  Is there evidence of any differences between the euro-area countries and other major economies as well as across euro-area countries?
• The links between growth and income distribution in advanced economies in a period of rapid technological progress and globalisation.
  What is the causal relationship between growth and the distribution of income across societies and over time in Europe and outside Europe?
  Does EMU make a difference?
• The design of economic policies to influence growth and the distribution of income and wealth.
  What elements of social models can foster openness and integration and social cohesion in the EU?
  Are there special challenges in this respect under EMU?
  Can we identify design principles for labour market institutions, and efficient and fair taxes and transfers to promote growth in the European Union?

Keynote speakers

The conference included keynote speakers and a panel discussion. We are pleased to announce that Anthony Atkinson (Oxford University), Giuseppe Bertola (University of Turin), Cecilia Garcia-Peñalosa (CNRS and GREQAM, Marseille) and Robert J. Gordon (Northwestern University) served as keynote speakers, each opening a session of the conference.

Programme(162 kB)   ( PDF - 158 kb)

Please note that for non-EC contributions, copyright rests with the authors. All documents on this page are in pdf.

Opening address by Joaquín ALMUNIA, Member of the European Commission in charge of Economic and Monetary Affairs
Session 1:	The economics of distribution and growth. Recent issues and experience Chair: Marco Buti
10:00 - 10:45	Keynote speaker: Cecilia Garcia-Peñalosa (CNRS & GREQAM, Marseille) "The economics of distribution and growth. Recent issues"(365 kB)   pdf ~ 365 kb
10:45 - 11:15	Jesper Roine (Stockholm School of Economics), Jonas Vlachos (Stockholm University) and Daniel Waldenström (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN), Stockholm) "What determines top income shares? Evidence from the twentieth century"(716 kB)   pdf ~ 700 kb
11:15 – 11:30	Discussant: Paul van den Noord (DG ECFIN)
11:45 – 12:15	Antonio Afonso (Technical University of Lisbon and ECB), Ludger Schuknecht (European Central Bank) and Vito Tanzi (Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC) "Income distribution determinants and public spending efficiency"(460 kB)   pdf ~500 kb
12:15 – 12:30	Discussant: Andrea Schaechter (DG ECFIN)
Session 2:	Distribution and growth in Europe – The empirical picture Chair: Lars Jonung
14:00 – 14:45	Keynote speaker: Anthony Atkinson (Nuffield College, Oxford) "Distribution and growth in Europe – The empirical picture"(597 kB)   pdf ~580 kb
14:45 – 15:15	Amparo Castelló-Climent (University of Valencia) "Inequality and growth in advanced economies: An empirical investigation"(484 kB)   pdf ~450 kb
15:15 – 15:30	Discussant: Daniel Waldenström (IFN)
Session 3:	Does the euro make a difference? Chair: Servaas Deroose
16:00 – 16:45	Keynote speaker: Giuseppe Bertola (University of Turin) "Does the euro make a difference?"(477 kB)   pdf ~470 kb
16:45 – 17:15	Florence Bouvet (Sonoma State University, California) "Dynamics of regional income inequality in Europe and impact of EU regional policy and EMU"(2 MB)   pdf ~ 1500 kb
17:15 – 17:30	Discussant: Antonio Afonso (Technical University of Lisbon and ECB)
17:30 – 18:00	General discussion
DAY 2:	Friday October 12 2007 Chair: Vitor Gaspar
Session 4:	Is Europe different? (Economic integration, globalisation and distribution)
09:00 – 09:45	Keynote speaker: Robert J. Gordon (Northwestern University, Chicago) "Issues in the comparison of welfare between Europe and the United States"(783 kB)   pdf ~ 760 kb
09:45 – 10:15	Thomas Harjes (International Monetary Fund, Washington DC) "Globalization and income inequality. A European perspective"(473 kB)   pdf ~ 460 kb
10:15 – 10:30	Discussant: Karl Pichelmann (DG ECFIN)
10:45 – 11:15	Alena Bičáková (CERGE-EI, Charles University, Prague) and Eva Sierminska (Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) and DIW, Berlin) "Homeownership inequality and the access to credit markets"(957 kB)   pdf ~ 762 kb
11:15 – 11:30	Discussant: Sean Berrigan (DG ECFIN)
11:30 – 11:45	General discussion
11:45 – 12:45	Panel discussion: Klaus Regling (chair person), Iain Begg, Cecilia Garcia-Peñalosa,Robert J. Gordon and Jürgen Stark.
14:15	Conference ends

Further information
For further information please contact us