This paper investigates why Europe fared particularly poorly in the global economic crisis that began in August 2007. It questions the self-portrait of Europe as the victim of external shocks, pushed off track by reckless policies pursued elsewhere. It argues instead that Europe had not only...

Die anhaltende Eurokrise, die sich in einer deutlich schlechteren Konjunkturlage in Europa als in den USA spiegelt, hat nicht zuletzt ihre Ursache in der nach wie vor schleppenden Umsetzung der Reformen des Finanzsektors. Während die Lücken in der wirtschaftspolitischen Architektur der WWU...

The ongoing Euro crisis and the worse economic development in Europe compared to that in the United States is grounded in the delayed implementation of reforms of the banking sector. Whereas the leaks in economic governance of EMU have been fixed the banking sector is still not stabilized, even...

The euro area crisis was less a crisis of the euro than a crisis of the Maastricht doctrine. The latter was based on a triple ban: no monetization of fiscal deficits, no bail-out, no sovereign default. The euro architecture was also based on a strict division of tasks: the European Central Bank...

Die anhaltende Eurokrise, die sich in einer deutlich schlechteren Konjunkturlage in Europa als in den USA spiegelt, hat nicht zuletzt ihre Ursache in der nach wie vor schleppenden Umsetzung der Reformen des Finanzsektors. Während die Lücken in der wirtschaftspolitischen Architektur der WWU...

This paper aims to examine whether the economic and political reasoning behind Maastricht is consistent with earlier approaches to monetary integration. In doing so, it revisits the intellectual debate on monetary integration in Europe at different stages. It concludes that Economic and Monetary...

It is often claimed that tax and welfare reforms that aim at enhancing efficiency may come at the cost of cyclical stabilisation. Reducing the generosity of welfare systems and lowering taxes may boost efficiency and output, and improve market adjustment to shocks. But, by reducing the size of...

A problem associated with inflation differentials in monetary unions is that the “crowding-in” effect of lower real interest rates associated with high inflation will initially outweigh the loss of competitiveness (crowding out). The crowding-in effect may produce volatility in house prices,...

This paper provides further model-based evidence about the effects of engaging in an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) when monetary transmission mechanisms differ across countries. Sensitivity analysis to alternative monetary regimes shows that with EMU, where exchange-rate fluctuations are...

This paper aims to examine whether the economic and political reasoning behind Maastricht is consistent with earlier approaches to monetary integration. In doing so, it revisits the intellectual debate on monetary integration in Europe at different stages. It concludes that Economic and Monetary...