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Unemployment and economic growth: Is there a relationship in the European Union?

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  • Milen Velev

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between unemployment and economic growth in the European Union and in individual European countries. This allows to determine what the effect on the unemployment rate will be when there is a change in output. The European Union (28 countries) quarterly data used is for the period from 2000Q1 to 2017Q3. Regression analysis, co-integration analysis and a vector error correction model have also been used. The relationship between the unemployment rate and economic growth in the EU-28 for the period examined in this study is less pronounced in comparison with the other countries. A negative relationship between economic growth and a change in the unemployment rate is obtained for all the countries in the European Union (28 countries). During each stage of the period studied, the effect of hysteresis on the labour market grew. The results from the statistical analysis show that the data on economic growth and the change in the rate of unemployment in the EU-28 are co-integrated. The validity of Okun's Law for the economy of the European Union is confirmed although during the period studied the European economy went through several phases of the economic cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Milen Velev, 2018. "Unemployment and economic growth: Is there a relationship in the European Union?," Acta Oeconomica Pragensia, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2018(4), pages 12-29.
    • Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2018:y:2018:i:4:id:609:p:12-29
    DOI: 10.18267/j.aop.609
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    unemployment rate; economic growth; Okun's Law; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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