On the eve of the financial and economic crisis of 2008/09, the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) could look back to a decade of remarkable macroeconomic stability. Somewhat surprisingly, though, inflation differentials across member states have been substantial and persistent, causing...

Fiscal policy is widely criticized for its failure to act as a stabilizing countercyclical force in the European Monetary Union. Two periods should be distinguished: Prior to the Financial Crisis of 2008, when monetary policy had traction to pursue stability for the aggregate eurozone, fiscal...

Die Schweiz ist in den vergangenen Monaten durch die drastische Aufwertung des Schweizer Franken gegenüber dem Euro unter Druck geraten. Im September 2011 verkündete deshalb die Schweizerische Nationalbank (SNB) einen Mindestkurs des Franken zum Euro. Mit einer Untergrenze von 1,20 Franken je...