Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Many European countries have experienced a significant increase of unemployment in recent years. Especially striking is the fact that unemployment rates in most European countries are significantly higher as compared to the United States. This paper reviews several theoretical models, which have been proposed to explain this phenomenon. Predominantly, these models claim a link between the poor performance of European labor markets and the high level of market regulation. Commonly referred to as the Eurosclerosis debate, prominent approaches consider insider-outsider relationships, search-models, and the influence of hiring and firing costs on equilibrium employment. The paper presents empirical evidence of each model and studies the relevance of the identified rigidities as a determining factor for high unemployment in Europe. Furthermore, a case study analyzes the unemployment problem in Germany and critically discusses recent reform efforts. Einleitung: In vielen europ?ischen L?ndern ist die Arbeitslosigkeit in den vergangenen Jahren stark angestiegen. Besonders auffallend ist hierbei, das die Arbeitslosenrate in den meisten europ?ischen Staaten ?ber den Werten in den USA liegt. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht eine Reihe theoretischer Modelle, die in der Literatur zur Erkl?rung dieses Ph?nomens diskutiert werden. Haupts?chlich sehen diese Modelle eine Verbindung zwischen dem hohen Grad an Marktregulierung und der schlechten Performance europ?ischer...