Description:A team of experts on the European economy focuses on the three major issues of fiscal policy, monetary policy and labor markets in this collection. They provide a survey of recent research on each topic as well as related state-of-the-art contributions. The early years of European Monetary Union have not been easy for the European economy. Economists are divided in their assessment of the effectiveness of key institutions, such as the European Central Bank, and their ability to provide macroeconomic stability and foster the reforms necessary to stimulate economic growth.