How low can potential growth in the euro zone become?
Before the subprime crisis , euro-zone potential growth was 2% per year; between the subprime crisis and the COVID crisis, it was 1.3% per year. What will it be after the COVID crisis, between 2022 and 2030? In order to estimate it, we have to take into account: Of course, the demographic outlook; The deterioration in the situation of corporate balance sheets and the resulting weakness of investment; The loss of human capital, with employees whose skills no longer match the needs of the economy due to the transformation of the sectoral structure of the economy and the rise in unemployment; In the opposite direction, the positive effect that recovery plans may have if they help develop high-end business sectors (digital, healthcare, equipment for renewable energies, etc.). It is unfortunately possible that euro-zone potential growth will be no higher than 0.6% per year over the period 2020-2040 .