Fiscal rules have become popular to limit deficits and high debt burdens in industrialized countries. A growing literature examines their impact based on aggregate fiscal performance. So far, no evidence exists on how fiscal rules influence deficit expectations of fiscal policy makers. In the...

The impact of EU Cohesion Policy has mainly been evaluated with regard to its growth effects. We extend the perspective by investigating the impact of EU Cohesion Policy on public investments and budget deficits in order to learn more about the channels through which this policy field works....

Within the economic profession, it is a widely held view that the fiscal criteria of the Maastricht treaty are arbitrary numbers without economic foundation. Much of this criticism seems to overlook an important aspect - the strategic dimension of the criteria. This paper focuses on one...

Are the characteristics of the exchange rate regime relevant for the degree of fiscal discipline? What are the conclusions for fiscal behavior in Europe after the transition to EMU? These are the central questions that are analyzed in this paper from a theoretical point of view. After a general...

'Enrico Marelli and Marcello Signorelli provide an excellent analysis of the causes of the Eurozone crisis and of the strategies that we will have to follow to ensure the survival of the Euro.' - Paul De Grauwe, Professor of European Political Economy, London School of Economics, UK 'After...

This book provides a fully revised and up-to-date analysis of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). With four entirely new chapters on responses to the financial crisis and the debate on reform options, Tomann assesses the EMU in comparison with other currency regimes through the adoption of a...

Greece's economy symbolizes in many ways the Eurozone's economic problems and divergent interests as it amasses most of the economic disadvantages characterizing the Eurozone's economy itself. This book presents the economic and political challenges to Greece and the EU member states