Economic Performance in France, Germany and the United Kingdom: 1997–2002

Abstract

We assess the performance of France, Germany and the United Kingdom over the period 1997-2002. Gross and net output per hour worked are considerably lower in the UK than in France and Germany. GDP in France and the UK have grown at the same rates over the period although real national income in the UK has grown considerably faster than in France. Seen from the supply side, French growth is substantially attributable to growth in total factor productivity while in the UK factor inputs are more important. There is, nevertheless, a concern that, at the margin, UK growth may be depreciation-intensive and therefore of poor quality. Germany's growth has been slow because productive inputs have grown only slowly and its weak performance is probably structural rather than cyclical. There does seem to be room for substantial increases in labour input in both France and Germany to be achieved through reform to labour market conditions such as tax rates on low paid workers.