Monetary integration in crisis: how well do existing theories explain the predicament of EMU?

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waltraud Schelkle
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Euro Area ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Macroeconomic Policies ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Collective Action Problems

Three theories or rationales can be invoked to explain the formation of the monetary union as well as its policy architecture. One sees its rationale as forming an optimal currency area, another as making macroeconomic policies credibly stability-oriented and a last one as overcoming collective action problems of mutually beneficial policy coordination. Each theory also implies an explanation for why the euro area is in crisis now. The article contains a critical assessment of these theories, with a view to how they have informed crisis management of the euro area but have also failed so far to stabilize the monetary union effectively.

7. Policy-Making under Economic and Monetary Union Crisis, Change, and Continuity

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dermot Hodson
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Union ◽  
Euro Area ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Financial Supervision ◽  
Economic And Monetary Union ◽  
High Stakes

This chapter examines the role of the economic and monetary union (EMU) in the European Union’s macroeconomic policy-making. As of 2015, nineteen members of the euro area have exchanged national currencies for the euro and delegated responsibility for monetary policy and financial supervision to the European Central Bank (ECB). EMU is a high-stakes experiment in new modes of EU policy-making insofar as the governance of the euro area relies on alternatives to the traditional Community method, including policy coordination, intensive transgovernmentalism, and delegation to de novo bodies. The chapter first provides an overview of the origins of the EMU before discussing the launch of the single currency and the sovereign debt crisis. It also considers variations on the Community method, taking into account the ECB and the European Stability Mechanism.

Effective European monetary union in the light of the optimum currency area; model countries: Germany and Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ergin Akalpler
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Union ◽  
Unit Root ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Panel Cointegration ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
Single Currency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Optimum Currency

PurposeThis study aims to research the effects of unemployment wages current account and consumer price index (CPI) on the real gross domestic product (RGDP), which, in the optimum currency area (OCA) theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. However, in this study, it is shown that the considered optimum currency crisis (OCC) model is affected by mobility factors, as the defined theory has not been perfectly realised in the Eurozone.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, Breusch–Pagan–Godfrey and Lagrange multiplier (LM) tests are used for supporting the survey for better estimation of the panel cointegration tests, where Pedroni's (1995, 1997) technique is used. The unit root tests are employed, of which the Phillip–Perron and augmented Dickey–Fuller tests (unit root test, Dickey, D. and W. Fuller, 1979) are considered.FindingsIt can be concluded that demand shocks will tend to be more asymmetric instead of being symmetric, even though they are in the customs union (CU). However, Polish workers in a given scenario may move to Germany, but because of the rigidity of the labour market and qualification differences between workers, the interregional integration of member countries is reduced, and this reduces the absorption of asymmetric shocks. In Germany, where strong employment protection and rigidity are observed in comparison to Poland, although there has been historical migration and economical collaboration, unfortunately, the integration of the two countries’ economies has not been realised.Research limitations/implicationsQuantitative research on fiscal union and the estimation of its effects is not possible because there is no practical experience of fiscal union throughout the European Union (EU). However, quantitative research is used for estimating the effects of OCA in the Eurozone. Quantitative investigation is particularly focused on the monetary union and single currency and its impact on growth rate. In this study, the ordinary least squares (OLS) method and panel cointegration test are employed for estimating the effects of the considered variables.Practical implicationsThe Eurozone and the application of a single currency throughout the EU was a considerably difficult task. In addition, the adoption of a single currency was not easy for those member countries that fulfilled the “convergence criteria” (or “Maastricht criteria”) and who joined the Eurozone, because only adoption is not enough; maintenance of those criteria is also required. This study analysed the application of the Eurozone in the light of the OCA of Mundel's theory.Social implicationsThe OCA is important for member countries’ economic relations. However, the application of a single currency is not easy and needs to be controlled and regulated to ensure best practises throughout the Eurozone. Monetary integration is not a simple process, and Eurozone countries’ financial difficulties affect each other’s markets’ indifferent aspects. Particularly in any market recession, demand shocks tend to have different effects. Furthermore, in comparison to the monetary union, the CU has a considerable impact on trade enlargement.Originality/valueIn this study, the effects of the independent variables “wages, unemployment, CPI and capital flow” on the dependent variable “RGDP” is considered, which, in the OCA theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. In application, it was turned into crisis because of inadequate monetary and fiscal application. In this paper OCA is questioned in the light of the Eurozone for bringing better understanding to these difficulties. The considered model and estimations are used for evaluating to create sustainable monetary integration for economic growth.

scholarly journals Risks of a slow-motion EMU reform

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-237
Author(s):  
László Andor
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Euro Area ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Economic And Monetary Union ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eurozone Crisis ◽  
Pros And Cons

The article provides a critical assessment of how the Economic and Monetary Union was designed, implemented and reformed in the European Union and discusses the risks of a slow-motion reform process. It is argued that the fact that the euro area economy has recovered in the last few years has become a source of complacency and delays. In particular, powerful forces continue to downplay the importance of systemic reconstruction and the risk of disintegration remains high despite the relative tranquillity of markets in the 2014–2018 period. Finally, the article evaluates competing paradigms about the eurozone crisis and the pros and cons of fiscal capacity building.

scholarly journals Coordinating Revenue Incentive Policies in the Caribbean

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (176) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ding Ding ◽  
Samira Kalla ◽  
Manuel Rosales Torres ◽  
Abdoul Karim Sidibé
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Tax Incentives ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Coordination Mechanism ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Efficient Outcome ◽  
Collective Action Problems ◽  
Incentive Policies ◽  
The Caribbean

The pervasive use of tax incentives is costly for the Caribbean countries, yet the benefits seem limited. Better policy coordination at the regional level is needed to help overcome the collective action problems and generate more revenue to support the much-needed infrastructure investment. Using the region’s Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programs as an example, we also show that a price-quantity coordination mechanism can help achieve an efficient outcome with greater CBI incomes for member countries.

Is the Euro Working? The Euro and European Labour Markets

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN J. SILVIA
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Euro Area ◽  
European Monetary Union ◽  
Structural Adjustment ◽  
Labour Markets ◽  
Fiscal Consolidation ◽  
European Monetary ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Made In

Now that time has passed since the introduction of the euro as a commercial currency, it is possible to assess many arguments made in the abstract during the 1990s about European monetary union. This article shows that the euro zone still falls short as an optimal currency area in most respects. In particular, it undertakes an empirical analysis of the labour market and finds no progress toward flexibility or integration. These results challenge assertions of ‘endogenous currency area’ proponents that the euro area would become optimal ‘after the fact’, and that labour markets would serve as the principal avenue of adjustment. Instead, a ‘rigidity trap’ has developed in the euro area, consisting of relatively tight monetary policy, forced fiscal consolidation, and a risk of deflation in some economies. These conditions have compounded the difficulties of structural adjustment in European labour markets.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF ASEAN EXCHANGE RATE UNIT (AERU) FOR ASEAN-5 MONETARY INTEGRATION: AN OPTIMUM CURRENCY AREA CRITERIA

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 59-88
Author(s):  
Dimas Bagus Wiranata Kusuma ◽  
Syed Mohammed Abud Ashif ◽  
Ali Musa Harahap ◽  
Muhammad Alam Omarsyah
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Convergence Theory ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
Member States ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
National Currencies ◽  
Optimum Currency

The idea for regional monetary integration is grounded by the process of convergence theory within the member states. The paper analyses the possibility of monetary union in ASEAN-5 countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. In terms of volatility, by using nominal deviation indicator assessment, the ASEAN-5 currencies are suggested to peg their national currencies into Yuan since it empirically brings the lowest level of volatility, both during normal and crisis periods. Therefore, Yuan could be proposed as the anchor currency for ASEAN-5 countries. Moreover, valuing the AERU in terms of a weighed average of Yuan is important to determine which countries are considered to be an Optimum Currency Area (OCA). The results statistically suggest that all ASEAN-5 countries could be grouped as OCA according to exchange rate stability criterion.Keywords : Optimum Currency Area, AERU, ASEAN-5, Exchange Rate StabilityJEL Classification : D81, E52, F15, F36

scholarly journals Political economy of the euro area crisis

2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 593-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casimir Dadak
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Business Cycles ◽  
Exchange Rates ◽  
Euro Area ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Currency Area

For many experts the true motivation behind the introduction of a single currency in Europe is political rather than economic. This view is based on the fact that the euro area does not constitute an optimal currency area and, therefore, the costs of monetary integration are likely to outweigh the benefits. In particular, the loss of control over monetary policy and exchange rates make overcoming asymmetric demand-side shocks very painful. Moreover, the monetary union lacks a common fiscal authority that could help in smoothing out business cycles. The present crisis exposed these vulnerabilities and, unfortunately, so far economic policies adopted in the region have failed to rectify these shortcomings.

Open Issues On the Implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact

2000 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 92-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Buti ◽  
Bertrand Martinot
Keyword(s):  
Euro Area ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Stability And Convergence ◽  
Fiscal Policies ◽  
Stability And Growth Pact ◽  
Budget Deficits ◽  
Macroeconomic Policies ◽  
Growth Pact ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Stability

Now that the budget deficits in the Euro Area are approaching balance, the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) looks like a largely non-constraining institutional framework with little impact on national fiscal policies. This article challenges this view and argues that the implementation of the SGP ‘at cruising speed’ is faced with a number of outstanding issues: safeguarding the automatic stabilisers under the SGP; coping with the consequences of the asymmetric nature of the SGP for the co-ordination of macroeconomic policies; and ensuring the long-run sustainability of public finances. It concludes that enlarging the scope and enhancing the credibility of the stability and convergence programmes to become a true instrument of fiscal policy coordination in the Euro Area would be a first step in lifting the uncertainties surrounding the implementation of the SGP.

scholarly journals ‘Banks 1 – Portugal 0’? Financial player entanglements in the Eurozone crisis

2020 ◽  
pp. 102452942096473
Author(s):  
Victoria B-G Stadheim
Keyword(s):  
Central Bank ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
European Monetary Union ◽  
European Central Bank ◽  
Exchange Rate Regime ◽  
Political Agency ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
European Monetary ◽  
European Central

The euro has been at the heart of the debate about the crisis in the Eurozone. For some, it represents a fixed exchange rate regime, which hampered peripheral countries’ competitiveness, and for others, the European Monetary Union has a ‘flawed institutional design’ and an insufficient degree of integration that engendered the crisis. The present article analyses monetary integration from a materialist perspective. It draws attention to political agency, power and crisis management. The article focuses on the case of Portugal and poses the question of how the country's authorities were compelled to request a rescue package from the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Commission in 2011. It shows that this decision was triggered by the political agency of a series of players within the world of finance, most notably Portugal’s domestic banks, the independent Bank of Portugal and the European Central Bank. Reflecting their material interconnection through the European monetary system, their agency was highly coordinated. The strategies for crisis management that came to deepen the recession were not the result of insufficient European integration – they rather reflected Portugal’s form of integration within the European Monetary Union at the specific moment of crisis.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF ASEAN EXCHANGE RATE UNIT (AERU) FOR ASEAN-5 MONETARY INTEGRATION: AN OPTIMUM CURRENCY AREA CRITERIA

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-82
Author(s):  
Dimas Bagus Wiranata Kusuma ◽  
Syed Mohammed Abud Ashif ◽  
Ali Musa Harahap ◽  
Muhammad Alam Omarsyah
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Rate ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Stability Criterion ◽  
Convergence Theory ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
National Currencies ◽  
Optimum Currency

The idea for regional monetary integration is grounded by the process of convergence theory within the member states. The paper analyses the possibility of monetary union in ASEAN-5 countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. In terms of volatility, by using nominal deviation indicator assessment, the ASEAN-5 currencies are suggested to peg their national currencies into Yuan since it empirically brings the lowest level of volatility, both during normal and crisis periods. Therefore, Yuan could be proposed as the anchor currency for ASEAN-5 countries. Moreover, valuing the AERU in terms of a weighed average of Yuan is important to determine which countries are considered to be an Optimum Currency Area (OCA). The results statistically suggest that all ASEAN-5 countries could be grouped as OCA according to exchange rate stability criterion. Keywords : Optimum Currency Area, AERU, ASEAN-5, Exchange Rate StabilityJEL Classification : D81, E52, F15, F36

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