Une analyse comparative des structures du chômage en Europe

In: Revue de l'OFCE, Band 2, Heft 1, S. 43-68

Abstract

The increase in European unemployment in the 1970's is often attributed to the « crisis » in the world economy. But has the common « crisis » given rise to similar unemployment experiences in different countries ? of course, aggregate unemployment rates vary between countries, but is its structure becoming more similar? the analysis addresses this question by providing a detailed description of unemployment in the member states of the EEC between 1973 and 1979. An answer to the question has, of course, significant policy implications since the possibility of a European response to unemployment may be limited by the extent to which it is the same problem for each country. In more detail, the discussion deals first with the problems of comparability and looks then at the evolution of national unemployment rates, paying particular attention to lags between countries and to developments in the latest period (1977-1979). We examine next wether, as unemployment has increased, the demograhic characteristics of the unemployed have become more similar across countries. This is followed by a discussion of the processes by which people enter unemployment (dismissal, resignation, voluntary spell away from work, seeking a first job) and we also examine the duration of unemployment. Then, using all these criteria, we look for a typology of the structures of unemployment of the member states of the EEC. One of the conclusions of the paper is that the « crisis » doesn't seem to have led to the emergence of more similar structures of unemployment in the various countries and, in this limited sense, it is difficult therefore to speak of an international « crisis ». An important consequence is that any common European policy must take into account the differing socio- economic characteristics of each country.