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Fiscal Federalism in Crisis: Lessons for Europe from the US

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  • Zsolt Darvas

    (Institute of Economics - Hungarian Academy of Science, Bruegel-Brusselss)

Abstract

The euro area is facing crisis, while the US is not, though the overall fiscal situation and outlook is better in the euro area than in the US, and though the US faces serious state-level fiscal crises. A higher level of fiscal federalism would strengthen the euro area, but is not inevitable. Current fiscal reform proposals (strengthening of current rules, more policy coordination and an emergency financing mechanism) will if implemented result in some improvements. But implementation might be deficient or lack credibility, and could lead to disputes and carry a significant political risk. Introduction of a Eurobond covering up to 60 percent of member states' GDP would bring about much greater levels of fiscal discipline than any other proposal, would create an attractive Eurobond market, and would deliver a strong message about the irreversible nature of European integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Zsolt Darvas, 2010. "Fiscal Federalism in Crisis: Lessons for Europe from the US," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 1021, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:discpr:1021
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    File URL: http://econ.core.hu/file/download/mtdp/MTDP1021.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jakob von Weizsäcker & Jacques Delpla, 2010. "The Blue Bond Proposal," Policy Briefs 403, Bruegel.
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    Cited by:

    1. aus dem Moore, Nils, 2010. "Eine Wirtschaftsregierung für Europa? Die EU braucht bessere governance, aber kein gouvernement économique," RWI Positionen 41, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    2. Zsolt Darvas, 2012. "The euro crisis- ten roots, but fewer solutions," Policy Contributions 755, Bruegel.
    3. Bartha Attila, 2013. "Governance, Culture And Democracy: Institutions And Economic Development Of Eu Member States," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 205-214, July.
    4. Fruzsina Siger, 2011. "Why do we compare the EU with the USA all the time?," IWE Working Papers 196, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    5. Jinill Kim & Sunghyun Kim, 2017. "How much to share: Welfare effects of fiscal transfers," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(3), pages 636-659, August.
    6. Armin Steinbach, 2015. "The Mutualization of Sovereign Debt: Comparing the American Past and the European Present," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 1110-1125, September.
    7. Handler, Heinz, 2013. "The eurozone: piecemeal approach to an optimum currency area," MPRA Paper 67183, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Hyungon Kim & Chang Kwon, 2015. "The Effects of Fiscal Consolidation and Welfare Composition of Spending on Electoral Outcomes: Evidence from US Gubernatorial Elections between 1978 and 2006," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 228-253, April.
    9. Lannoo, Karel, 2011. "EU Federalism in Crisis," CEPS Papers 6498, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    10. Armin Steinbach, 2015. "The Mutualisation of Sovereign Debt: Comparing the American Past and the European Present," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2015_02, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    11. Costain, James & de Blas, Beatriz, 2012. "The role of fiscal delegation in a monetary union: a survey of the political economy issues," Working Papers in Economic Theory 2012/11, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Department of Economic Analysis (Economic Theory and Economic History).
    12. repec:zbw:rwipos:041 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Nils aus dem Moore, 2010. "Eine Wirtschaftsregierung für Europa? – Die EU braucht bessere governance, aber kein gouvernement économique," RWI Positionen, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, pages 24, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    federalism; redistribution; stabilisation; risk-sharing; crisis; euro-area governance reform; Eurobond;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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