Die Schaffung eines einheitlichen Geldes in Europa und die Vergemeinschaftung der Geldpolitik bedeuten eine einschneidende institutionelle Änderung. In diesem Beitrag wird analysiert, was zu tun und was zu lassen ist, damit das historisch bedeutsame Vorhaben ein Erfolg wird. Zwölf...

Since the 1980s, the European Community has become an engine for liberalization and re-regulation in the network industries of the transport, energy and telecommunications industries. This paper describes major lines of reform in European infrastructure and regulation policy. Both, changes in...

For many years there have been political intentions to harmonize tax rates in Europe. As to capital income taxation, competition is often seen to be especially harmful. Facing a high degree of international capital mobility, every country is expected to reduce its tax rate in order to attract...

In the nineties, the German economy grew about half a percentage point less than the rest of the European Monetary Union (EMU). The paper deals with differences in fiscal policy as a potential reason for this. At least a part of the “growth gap” between Germany and the rest of the EMU can be...

The stability pact is intended to bind the hands of national fiscal policy with respect to debt and thus protect the euro as a common currency. To what extent the value of money is stable depends on the solidity of the government’s finances. To weaken the pact will imply a loss of confidence...

Eine Harmonisierung der Steuern auf Kapitaleinkommen wird häufig gefordert, weil sonst bei hoher Kapitalmobilität ein Steuersenkungswettlauf eintrete mit der Folge, dass der Staat seine eigentlichen Aufgaben nicht wahrnehmen kann. Tatsächlich sind die Indizien für ein "race to the bottom"...