This lecture discusses the 2010 crisis of the European Monetary Union and draws some lessons for reform. Crisis resolution has been difficult because the sovereign debt crisis of countries like Greece and Portugal has come together with real-estate and banking crises in countries like Ireland...

This paper analyzes different government debt relief programs in the European Monetary Union. I build a model and study different options ranging from debt relief to the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The analysis reveals the following: First, patient countries repay debt, while impatient...

The unchecked build-up of imbalances during the 2000s exposed the euro area to the risk of sudden stops. Such risk materialized in 2009-10 and its consequences were amplified by the absence of adequate institutions. Europe embarked on a thorough process of reforming its economic governance. We...

This paper examines the cyclical behaviour of country-level macro-financial variables under EMU. Monetary union strengthened the covariation pattern between the output cycle and the financial cycle, while macro-financial policies at national and area-wide levels were insufficiently...

European credit institutions are expected to pile up a relevant amount of non-performing loans (NPLs) as a consequence of the crisis provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop, one of the most critical issues at stake is whether credit institutions currently hold an amount of...

The paper discusses the differences among countries of the Eurozone which impede growth. The paper offers solutions aimed at encouraging economic convergence to a higher level of standard of living. Economic disparity throughout the region has increased due to the global financial crisis. A...