The European economy is still in recession even though there are some weak indications of
stabilization. This book examines important aspects of the crisis in selected countries of
Southern Europe the Balkans and Eastern Europe. The intensity of the crisis and its economic
and social repercussions have varied from country to country generally impacting the core
countries less than those on the periphery. The countries in the latter group currently face
significant structural challenges with regard to improving productivity and competitiveness
including the areas of investment climate the labour market and the public sector. The book
not only illustrates the scope of the problem but also informs readers on the policies
implemented to address it and discusses the progress some of the economies have already made.
Special topics include the convergence hypothesis agriculture and growth Public-Private
Partnership in Infrastructure (PPPI) and the labour market.
