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Monetary Integration, Fiscal Divergence and Current Account Imbalances in Europe

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  • Schnabl Gunther

    (University of Leipzig, Department of Economics and Business Administration, Leipzig, Germany)

Abstract

The paper scrutinizes the role of diverging fiscal policy stances for diverging current account positions in Europe with a focus on the European Monetary Union (EMU). In a heterogeneous monetary union fiscal policy has the task to absorb asymmetric shocks to ensure the efficacy of the one-size monetary policy. It is argued that since the early years of the European Monetary Union divergent fiscal policies combined with monetary expansion constituted a major determinant of current account divergence within the euro area, which finally led into the European debt and financial crisis. Panel regressions reveal a significant impact of fiscal policies on current account positions, which to a large extent are independent from the exchange rate regime and turn out to be contingent on monetary and fiscal policy mix. Based on the findings economic policy recommendations are presented.

Suggested Citation

  • Schnabl Gunther, 2018. "Monetary Integration, Fiscal Divergence and Current Account Imbalances in Europe," The Economists' Voice, De Gruyter, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:evoice:v:15:y:2018:i:1:p:16:n:7
    DOI: 10.1515/ev-2018-0026
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    Cited by:

    1. Taiki Murai & Gunther Schnabl, 2021. "Macroeconomic Policy Making and Current Account Imbalances in the Euro Area," CESifo Working Paper Series 9153, CESifo.
    2. Schnabl Gunther & Müller Sebastian, 2019. "The Brexit as a Forerunner: Monetary Policy, Economic Order and Divergence Forces in the European Union," The Economists' Voice, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Zdenka Obuljen Zoričić Boris Cota Nataša Erjavec, 2020. "Financial Liberalization and Current Account Developments in New EU Member States," Zagreb International Review of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 23(1), pages 141-154, May.
    4. Schnabl Gunther, 2020. "Soziale Marktwirtschaft damals und heute," Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 69(1), pages 1-24, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    current account imbalances; Europe; European financial and debt crisis; European Monetary Union; exchange rate adjustment; fiscal policy; macroeconomic policy coordination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission

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