Achim Truger

Achim Truger is Professor of Economics, particularly Macroeconomics and Economic Policy, at the Berlin School of Economics and Law and senior research fellow at the Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK) at Hans Böckler Foundation in Düsseldorf, Germany. He obtained his Doctorate in Economics at the University of Cologne, Germany, in 1997 where he was a Lecturer in Public Economics and an economist at the FiFo Institute for Public Economics until 1999. Until March 2012 he was a senior economist responsible for public finance and tax policy at the Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK) at Hans Böckler Foundation in Düsseldorf, Germany. He has served as an economic advisor to governments, parliaments, political parties, trade unions and NGOs on the international, national as well as regional level.

Achim Truger

How Edmund Phelps Got It Wrong On Greek Austerity

Achim Truger 23rd September 2015

In the debate on the Greek crisis, no cliché was too tawdry to be used and no claim too stupid or false to be made by large sections of the media and politics. Time and again, we read or heard how the “lazy Greeks” or “bankrupt Greeks” really ought to start cutting spending now. The […]

Reviving EU Fiscal Policy: 10 Ways To Strengthen Public Investment

Achim Truger 9th March 2015

As the Euro crisis hit, European policy makers reacted with headless austerity policies and a tightening of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). The failure of these policies is obvious: after seven years of deep economic crisis the Euro area is on the verge of deflationary stagnation. Public investment – which should have stabilized the […]

WSI Minimum Wage Report 2025

The trend towards significant nominal minimum wage increases is continuing this year. In view of falling inflation rates, this translates into a sizeable increase in purchasing power for minimum wage earners in most European countries. The background to this is the implementation of the European Minimum Wage Directive, which has led to a reorientation of minimum wage policy in many countries and is thus boosting the dynamics of minimum wages. Most EU countries are now following the reference values for adequate minimum wages enshrined in the directive, which are 60% of the median wage or 50 % of the average wage. However, for Germany, a structural increase is still necessary to make progress towards an adequate minimum wage.

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S&D Position Paper on Cohesion Policy post-2027: a resilient future for European territorial equity

Cohesion Policy aims to promote harmonious development and reduce economic, social and territorial disparities between the regions of the Union, and the backwardness of the least favoured regions with a particular focus on rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition and regions suffering from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps, such as outermost regions, regions with very low population density, islands, cross-border and mountain regions.

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The evolution of working conditions in Europe

This episode of Eurofound Talks examines the evolving landscape of European working conditions, situated at the nexus of profound technological transformation.

Mary McCaughey speaks with Barbara Gerstenberger, Eurofound's Head of Unit for Working Life, who leverages insights from the 35-year history of the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS).

Listen to the episode for free. Also make sure to subscribe to Eurofound Talks so you don’t miss an episode!

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The Summer issue of The Progressive Post is out!

It is time to take action and to forge a path towards a Socialist renewal.

European Socialists struggle to balance their responsibilities with the need to take bold positions and actions in the face of many major crises, while far-right political parties are increasingly gaining ground. Against this background, we offer European progressive forces food for thought on projecting themselves into the future.

Among this issue’s highlights, we discuss the transformative power of European Social Democracy, examine the far right’s efforts to redesign education systems to serve its own political agenda and highlight the growing threat of anti-gender movements to LGBTIQ+ rights – among other pressing topics.

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How Edmund Phelps Got It Wrong On Greek Austerity

Reviving EU Fiscal Policy: 10 Ways To Strengthen Public Investment

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