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Reducing Economic Imbalances in the Euro Area: Some Remarks on the Current Stability Programs, 2011–14

Author

Listed:
  • Gregor Semieniuk
  • Till van Treeck
  • Achim Truger

Abstract

This paper evaluates whether the 2011 national stability programs (SPs) of the euro area countries are instrumental in achieving economic stability in the European Monetary Union (EMU). In particular, we analyze how the SPs address the double challenge of public deficits and external imbalances. Our analysis rests, first, on the accounting identities of the public, private, and foreign financial balances; and second, on the consideration of all SPs at once rather than separately. We find that conclusions are optimistic regarding GDP growth and fiscal consolidation, while current account rebalancing is neglected. The current SPs reach these conclusions by assuming strong global export markets, entrenched current account imbalances within the EMU as well as the deterioration of private financial balances in the current account deficit countries. By means of our simulations we conclude, on the one hand, that the failure of favorable global macroeconomic developments to materialize may lead to the opposite of the desired stability by exacerbating imbalances in the euro area. On the other hand, given symmetric efforts at rebalancing, the simulation suggests that for surplus countries that reduce their current account, a more expansionary fiscal policy will likely be required to maintain growth rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregor Semieniuk & Till van Treeck & Achim Truger, 2011. "Reducing Economic Imbalances in the Euro Area: Some Remarks on the Current Stability Programs, 2011–14," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_694, Levy Economics Institute.
  • Handle: RePEc:lev:wrkpap:wp_694
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gregor Semieniuk & Till van Treeck & Achim Truger, 2012. "Nothing learned from the crisis? Some remarks on the stability programmes 2011–2014 of the Euro area governments," Chapters, in: Jesper Jespersen & Mogens Ove Madsen (ed.), Keynes’s General Theory for Today, chapter 11, pages 186-206, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Mr. Gian M Milesi-Ferretti & Mr. Olivier J Blanchard, 2009. "Global Imbalances: In Midstream?," IMF Staff Position Notes 2009/029, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Wynne Godley & Dimitri B. Papadimitriou & Greg Hannsgen & Gennaro Zezza, 2007. "The U.S. Economy: Is There a Way Out of the Woods?," Economics Strategic Analysis Archive sa_nov_07, Levy Economics Institute.
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Lamperti & Mariana Mazzucato & Andrea Roventini & Gregor Semieniuk, 2019. "The Green Transition: Public Policy, Finance, and the Role of the State," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 88(2), pages 73-88.
    2. Eugenio Caverzasi & Antoine Godin, 2013. "Stock-flow Consistent Modeling through the Ages," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_745, Levy Economics Institute.
    3. Roberto Veneziani & Luca Zamparelli & Michalis Nikiforos & Gennaro Zezza, 2017. "Stock-Flow Consistent Macroeconomic Models: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1204-1239, December.
    4. Gregor Semieniuk & Till van Treeck & Achim Truger, 2012. "Nothing learned from the crisis? Some remarks on the stability programmes 2011–2014 of the Euro area governments," Chapters, in: Jesper Jespersen & Mogens Ove Madsen (ed.), Keynes’s General Theory for Today, chapter 11, pages 186-206, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Eduardo Garzón Espinosa & Bibiana Medialdea García & Esteban Cruz Hidalgo, 2021. "Fiscal Policy Approaches: An Inquiring Look From The Modern Monetary Theory," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(4), pages 999-1022, October.
    6. Jörg Bibow, 2013. "Lost at Sea: The Euro Needs a Euro Treasury," IMK Studies 35-2013, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    7. Alexander Herzog-Stein & Heike Joebges & Ulrike Stein & Rudolf Zwiener, 2013. "Labour cost trends and international competitiveness in Europe," IMK Report 88e-2013, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    8. Georgios Argitis & Maria Nikolaidi, 2014. "The financial fragility and the crisis of the Greek government sector," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 274-292, May.
    9. Alessandro Caiani & Ermanno Catullo & Mauro Gallegati, 2018. "The effects of fiscal targets in a monetary union: a multi-country agent-based stock flow consistent model," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(6), pages 1123-1154.
    10. Orsola Costantini, 2015. "The Cyclically Adjusted Budget: History and Exegesis of a Fateful Estimate," Working Papers Series 24, Institute for New Economic Thinking.
    11. Özgür Bayram SOYLU, 2020. "A simple model of developing countries: financing the current account deficit Abstract: A stock flow consistent model provides a monetary and financial framework to macroeconomics. It clearly shows th," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 11, pages 123-145, June.
    12. Jacques Sapir, 2018. "The EMU’s Twisted Foundations: How to Use and Misuse Economic Theory," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 497-506, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Euro Area; Stability Programs; Current Account Imbalances; Fiscal Policy; Stability and Growth Pact;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E10 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - General
    • E17 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission

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