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A Macroeconomist’s View on EU Governance Reform: Why and How to Establish Policy Coordination?

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  • Hubert Gabrisch

Abstract

This paper discusses the need for macroeconomic policy coordination in the E(M)U. Coordination of national policies with cross-border effects does not exist at the macroeconomic level, although requested by the EU Treaty. The need for coordination stems from current account imbalances, which origin in market-induced capital flows, destabilizing the real exchange rates between low and high wage countries. The recent attempts of the Commission and the European Council to reform E(M)U governance do not address this problem and thus remain incapable to protect against future instability. Macroeconomic coordination needs (i) a clear identification of union-wide employment goals, and (ii) the establishment of a high level institution responsible for coordination following these objectives. The paper proposes a High Representative for Economic Policy, equipped with an appropriate office and supported by a Council of Economic Advisers committed to the union-wide objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Hubert Gabrisch, 2011. "A Macroeconomist’s View on EU Governance Reform: Why and How to Establish Policy Coordination?," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 56(191), pages 69-88, October-D.
    • Handle: RePEc:beo:journl:v:56:y:2011:i:191:p:69-88
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    Cited by:

    1. Hubert Gabrisch & Karsten Staehr, 2014. "The Euro Plus Pact: Cost Competitiveness and External Capital Flows in the EU Countries. WWWforEurope Policy Paper No. 15," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47496.
    2. Karsten Staehr, 2018. "Capital flows and growth dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Hubert Gabrisch & Karsten Staehr, 2015. "The Euro Plus Pact: Competitiveness and External Capital Flows in the EU Countries," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 558-576, May.
    4. Ludek Kouba & Michal Madr & Danuse Nerudova & Petr Rozmahel, 2016. "Policy Autonomy, Coordination or Harmonization in the Persistently Heterogeneous European Union?," DANUBE: Law and Economics Review, European Association Comenius - EACO, issue 1, pages 53-71, March.
    5. Gabrisch, Hubert & Staehr, Karsten, 2014. "The euro plus pact: cost competitiveness and external capital flows in the EU countries," Working Paper Series 1650, European Central Bank.
    6. Hubert Gabrisch, 2015. "Net Capital Flows To And The Real Exchange Rate Of Western Balkan Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 60(205), pages 31-52, April – J.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    current account imbalances; governance; policy coordination; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission

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