The adoption of the euro in 1999 by 11 member states of the European Union created a single currency area second in economic size only to the United States. The euro zone's monetary policy is now set by the European Central Bank (ECB) and its Governing Council rather than by individual national...

An examination of the post-recession responsibilities of central banks, this book proposes adaptations to the central banking model that preserve the advantages in terms of inflation control brought by their independence, while taking into account the long-term consequences of the Great Recession.