In 1867, the "Compromise" between Austria and Hungary laid the foundation of a single currency system with a common central bank. As in today's euroland, each part of the monarchy remained sovereign in fiscal matters. Moreover, the borrowing needs of both parts of the monarchy were quite large,...

This paper should be read as complementary to my last briefing paper (N3, September 2001) The European policy mix At its meeting on 8 November, the Governing Council of the ECB decided to reduce the minimum bid rate on the main refinancing operations of the Eurosystem by 50 basis points to...

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