This paper analyses monetary policy in a stylized new-Keynesian model. A number of issues are focused upon: (i) optimal monetary policy under commitment or discretion vs. ad-hoc monetary policy based on simple rules, (ii) the effects of fiscal policies and foreign variables on monetary policy,...

This paper analyses monetary policy in the Euro-Area using a stylized new-Keynesian model. A number of issues are focused upon: (i) optimal monetary policy under commitment and discretion, (ii) a comparison of optimal monetary policies and ad-hoc monetary policies, (iii) the effects of fiscal...

This paper analyses the accession to the Euro-Area by new members using a stylized new-Keynesian model. We analyze macro-economic adjustment in the pre- and post accession case and calculate welfare in both situations to obtain net benefit/loss from accession. It is shown how the effects of...

This paper uses the Taylor rule to examine the appropriateness of ECB interest rate policy for the initial EMU members and the ten new EMU member states some of whom are expected to join the Eurozone in 2006-7. Specifically it addresses three questions. (1) Are there differences between the...

This paper provides empirical evidence of the role of the euro in the genesis of the recent Irish financial-economic crisis caused by a regional housing boom and its inevitable bust. By using a Taylor-rule, estimated by Generalized Method of Moments, we measure the appropriateness of the ECB's...

Place names, or toponyms, provide insight into the initial geographical characteristics of settlements. We present a unique dataset of 3,705 German toponyms that includes the date of the first historical record mentioning the settlement and the date it was granted city rights. We show that the...

In a seminal paper, Rose (2004) found that the assumed positive impact of the WTO on international trade was questionable. This finding has been scrutinized and modified in subsequent research, using different datasets, econometric methods and separating the WTO from other forms of trade...