The financial crisis of 2007–10 has presented a number of key policy challenges for those concerned with the long-term stability of the euro area. It has shown that price stability as provided by the European Central Bank is not enough to guarantee financial stability, and exposed fault lines in governance and deficiencies in the architecture of the financial supervisory and regulatory framework. This book addresses these and other issues, including why the crisis affected some countries more than others, whether the euro is still attractive for new EU states, and what policy changes and structural reforms, both macro and micro, should be undertaken to ensure its future viability. Written by a team of leading academic and central bank economists, the book also includes chapters on the cross-country incidence of the crisis, the Irish crisis and ECB monetary policy during the crisis, and studies on Spain, the Baltics, Slovakia and Slovenia.
First published in 2005, this volume considers that, as time elapses since the introduction of the Euro, it is legitimate to start asking what impact the new currency and the single monetary policy have had on European integration. This book provides the most comprehensive review of financial integration in the euro area. The volume includes an introduction to the institutional features of the euro area and the literature on financial integration. It examines developments in the financial structures at large and moves forward to focus on specific areas pertaining to financial intermediaries, the bond and equity markets, and market-based debt finance. It is particularly suited to researchers and students of developments in the euro area, central banking, money and banking, as well as international relations and international business more generally. While the introductory chapters will help in bringing undergraduates on board, the later chapters will particularly benefit the early graduate student as well as the professional observer.
This book analyses the ongoing reform of the European economic union in the light of the new objective of ‘stability of the euro area as a whole’ in Article 136(3) TFEU. On the basis of the relevant legal sources, it qualifies this objective as the obligation to preserve the existence of the monetary union, the establishment of which was an EU goal laid down in Article 3(4) TEU. While to date the objective has been achieved through fiscal and macroeconomic consolidation in the member states and the activation of stabilisation mechanisms in cases of emergency, the book argues that full stability requires a better system of economic governance, either through a process of partial fiscal centralisation or the return to a more efficient and sustainable market discipline of public finances. It also analyses the concrete legal challenges these raise, including compliance with the conferral principle, the longstanding democratic deficit of the governance and the balance between financial solidarity and fiscal responsibility.
The SDN elaborates the case for, and the design of, a banking union for the euro area. It discusses the benefits and costs of a banking union, presents a steady state view of the banking union, elaborates difficult transition issues, and briefly discusses broader EU issues. As such, it assesses current plans and provides advice. It is accompanied by three background technical notes that analyze in depth the various elements of the banking union: a single supervisory framework; a single resolution and common safety net; and urgent issues related to repair of weak banks in Europe.
From Jens Nordvig--named the #1 currency strategist in the 2013 Institutional Investor survey What does the crisis in the Eurozone mean for our markets—and how can you protect your portfolio against crises in Europe? Little has been written about the instability of the Euro, but it’s a very real threat to investors worldwide, as well as to the global economy. Swings in global asset markets have been increasingly driven by developments in Europe. This is something new: in the past, Europe was one of the most stable parts of the global economy, and its typically minor economic fluctuations would have little bearing on US equity markets. Now, Europe's economic and political developments will be a persistent source of shocks for global financial markets. As an investor, you need a roadmap. This book is that roadmap. The Fall of the Euro describes the Eurozone’s unstable equilibrium and explains why a breakup of the Eurozone is still a possibility. Nomura's global head of currency strategy and one of the world's top experts on the Euro, Jens Nordvig gives us a detailed and fascinating explanation of this precarious situation, providing the information, insight, and authoritative analysis you need to make the wisest investment decisions possible. A riveting analysis of one of the most important currencies in the world--certainly the most unstable of the major currencies--The Fall of the Euro covers: The history of the Euro--and how it differs from other global currencies The problematic origins of the Euro--which is grounded more in politics than economics How politics will affect the next crisis in the Eurozone--and what we can do about it What-if scenarios of Eurozone breakup possibilities--with insights that will surprise you The original version of the Euro was not resilient enough to survive a major crisis. European policymakers are attempting to construct a new version of the currency, but its specific form remains highly uncertain. Will it be a hard currency? Will it be a soft currency? Or will it break up? If the path ahead involves a disorderly breakup of the Eurozone, the instability to come will be much more intense than what we have seen to date. Go beyond the rhetoric of the politicians and the journalists who write about them and get a financial expert's assessment of the real issues at hand. Jens Nordvig explains the state of the Euro's present position in the global economy with levels of objectivity and expertise you will find nowhere else. The Fall of the Euro gives you the critical information you need to prepare your investments before the next crisis in the Eurozone--which is, in Nordvig's view, inevitable. Praise for The Fall of the Euro "Nordvig brings a keen insight into markets and economics that he ably combines with a brisk, no-nonsense narrative. This is essential reading for market players, investors, and prognosticators of the future of the eurozone." -- Richard Clarida, C. Lowell Harriss Professor of Economics and International Affairs, Columbia University; Global Strategic Advisor, Pimco "Jens Nordvig's book artfully combines a master economist's framework, a seasoned market participant's advice, an historian's far-reaching perspective, and a European citizen’s passionate case for an open discussion of the way forward for the world's largest economic bloc." -- Scott Bessent, Chief Investment Officer, Soros Fund Management LLC "Jens Nordvig was one of the first to analyze the economic, legal, and political consequences of the euro splitting asunder. Whether or not you share his pessimism about the future of the euro project, Nordvig's guide to the crisis is a compelling and essential read." -- Gavyn Davies, Chairman of Fulcrum Asset Management LLP, former Goldman Sachs Chief Economist "In this bold, highly readable book, Jens Nordvig beautifully highlights the tensions between the politics and the economics that are at the heart of the euro crisis. A must read for anyone who cares about the future of Europe." -- Anil Kashyap, Edward Eagle Brown Professor of Economics and Finance, University of Chicago Booth School of Business "I learned much from The Fall of the Euro and I thoroughly recommend it." -- Simon Wolfson, CEO of Next plc and sponsor of the Wolfson Economics Prize "Needs to be read by all those demanding brave policy from Europe's timid elite." -- Tom Keene, Editor at Large, Bloomberg Television & Radio; Host of Bloomberg Surveillance
The idea for this volume came from the enigma that some Central and Eastern European (CEE) European Union (EU) member states have been keen to join the Eurozone while others have shown persistent reluctance. Moreover, the attitudes towards joining have seemingly not correlated with either the level of economic development or the time spent as part of the EU, nor with any other rational reason such as the level of integration into the EU real economy, or the level of trust in the EU on the part of the public. Therefore, at first sight, the answer to the question ‘why in, why out?’ remains rather unclear. The attractiveness of the currency union has nevertheless not disappeared for the CEE countries. Despite the Eurozone crisis of 2010–13, it was during that time that the Baltic states introduced the euro. Then, after a few years of inactivity, Croatia and Bulgaria successfully applied for membership of the exchange rate mechanism in July 2020, amid the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At the same time, the three Visegrad countries still using their national currencies – Poland, Czechia and Hungary – no longer have a target date to join the monetary union. This volume aims to discuss these issues from horizontal aspects and through country studies, with contributions from expert authors from, or closely related to, the CEE region.
A critical analysis of the evolution of Economic and Monetary Union, this book examines the changes brought about by the financial crisis. Tackling the uncertain future of economic and fiscal integration, it focuses on the constitutional obstacles to integration and provides a compelling account of key dilemmas facing the European Union today.
This volume offers a timely analysis of economic and monetary union at a time of heightened uncertainty about the future of the Euro. It explores the evolution of Euro area governance from the launch of the Euro in 1999 to the sovereign debt crisis that struck the Euro area in 2010.
