The Lisbon Council hosted the launch of a new OECD study on Persistence of High Unemployment: What Risks? What Policies? Pier Carlo Padoan, deputy secretary-general and chief economist at the OECD, presented the new research, which shows how OECD labour markets evolved during the recession, looks at the early phases of the post-crisis recovery and indicates which policy instruments can facilitate a swift and much-needed return to work.