The authors analyse international reform perspectives of the German basic income system.

What is driving Germany’s continued upturn in employment? It has been a while since Hartz reforms and business cycles have lost much of their importance for the labour market. Decisive for the upward trend is a self-reinforcing effect: in view of the increasing scarcity of labour, employers are securing valuable manpower for themselves.

Regina Konle-Seidl explains the concept of chronic unemployment in Denmark, Finland, and Germany in this video interview.

For many mini-jobber it has not been worthwhile to work longer hours up to now. This is a serious obstacle for securing a sustainable supply of skilled workers. A well-thought-out reform completed in reasonable steps aiming at the improvement of the overall situation of employees, enterprises and the state budget is possible.

The report presents a summary of the workshop “The gender wage gap in Europe: What can we learn from linked employer-employee data?”.

Professor Enzo Weber presents his concept of Digital Social Security in this video interview and explains the first steps to put the concept into practice.

In the political debate, trade protectionism has been frequently associated with keeping and increasing the number of jobs at home. The argument is, however, not so simple, since international trade in products and services is organised within global value chains. Goods that are further processed and not used for final consumption play a key role in international commerce. Increasing trade barriers for those so-called “intermediates” can be particularly costly for an economy and lead to job losses in connected industries.

Regina Konle-Seidl, researcher at the IAB in Nuremberg, compares in our video interview policies and practices to faciliate labour market integration of migrants in Austria, Germany, and Sweden. She focusses on policy strategies to adapt the asylum and integration system to the high numbers of new arrivals, gives special attention to the political discourse and the role of public opinion, and explains innovative approaches and gaps with respect to labour market integration of migrants.

An interview with Tito Boeri, former President of the Italian National Social Security, on the current situation and the future of the Italian social security system.