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Flexibility versus stability. A difficult trade-off in the Eurozone

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  • De Grauwe, Paul
  • Ji, Yuemei
Abstract
The optimal currency areas (OCA) theory has been influential in pushing eurozone countries towards structural reforms to make product and labour markets more flexible. The underlying assumption of the OCA prescription for structural reform is that asymmetric shocks are permanent. However, when shocks are temporary it does not follow that more flexibility is the answer. When shocks are the result of business cycle movements, the way to deal with them is by stabilisation efforts. We provide empirical evidence that suggests that the biggest shocks in the eurozone were the result of business cycle movements. These were relatively well synchronised, except for their amplitude. We argue that efforts to stabilise the business cycles should be strengthened relative to the efforts that have been made to impose structural reforms, and consider the implications for the governance of the eurozone.

Suggested Citation

  • De Grauwe, Paul & Ji, Yuemei, 2016. "Flexibility versus stability. A difficult trade-off in the Eurozone," CEPR Discussion Papers 11372, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:11372
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeroen Hessel, 2019. "Medium-term asymmetric fluctuations and EMU as an optimum currency area," DNB Working Papers 644, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    2. Roel Beetsma & Brian Burgoon & Francesco Nicoli & Anniek de Ruijter & Frank Vandenbroucke, 2022. "What kind of EU fiscal capacity? Evidence from a randomized survey experiment in five European countries in times of corona," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 37(111), pages 411-459.
    3. Paul De Grauwe & Yuemei Ji, 2017. "The International Synchronisation of Business Cycles: the Role of Animal Spirits," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 383-412, July.
    4. Alfredo Arahuetes García & Gonzalo Gómez Bengoechea, 2018. "The Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure: A useful tool for predicting sovereign crises?," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 45(1 Year 20), pages 79-111, June.
    5. Roel Beetsma & George Kopits, 2020. "Designing a Permanent EU-Wide Stabilization Facility," CESifo Working Paper Series 8735, CESifo.
    6. Alcidi, Cinzia & D’Imperio, Paolo & Thirion, Gilles, 2023. "Risk-sharing and consumption-smoothing patterns in the US and the Euro Area: A comprehensive comparison," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 58-69.
    7. Liosi, Konstantina, 2023. "The sources of economic uncertainty: Evidence from eurozone markets," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    8. Nicos Christodoulakis, 2019. "Greece and the Euro Area: The cost of weak institutions," DEOS Working Papers 1908, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    9. Ansgar Belke & Clemens Domnick & Daniel Gros, 2017. "Business Cycle Synchronization in the EMU: Core vs. Periphery," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 28(5), pages 863-892, November.
    10. Nicolas Carnot & Magdalena Kizior & Gilles Mourre, 2017. "Fiscal stabilisation in the Euro-Area: A simulation exercise," Working Papers CEB 17-025, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    11. Cartapanis, André & Gagnon, Marie-Hélène & Gimet, Céline, 2023. "Financially sustainable optimal currency areas," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    12. Sleibi, Yacoub & Casalin, Fabrizio & Fazio, Giorgio, 2023. "Unconventional monetary policies and credit co-movement in the Eurozone," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    13. Kuokštis, Vytautas & Asali, Muhammad & Spurga, Simonas Algirdas, 2022. "Labor market flexibility and exchange rate regimes," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Masato Nakao, 2019. "Stability of business cycles and economic openness of monetary union," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 65-89, June.
    15. De Grauwe, Paul & Ji, Yuemei, 2017. "Endogenous Asymmetric Shocks in the Eurozone. The Role of Animal Spirits," CEPR Discussion Papers 11887, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    16. Alfredo Arahuetes García & Gonzalo Gómez Bengoechea, 2022. "Back to the Future: Lessons from the 2009–2012 austerity policies for the aftermath of the COVID crisis," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(5), pages 751-766, November.
    17. Sondermann, David & Consolo, Agostino & Gunnella, Vanessa & Koester, Gerrit & Lambrias, Kyriacos & Lopez-Garcia, Paloma & Nerlich, Carolin & Petroulakis, Filippos & Saiz, Lorena & Serafini, Roberta, 2019. "Economic structures 20 years into the euro," Occasional Paper Series 224, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal currency areas; Structural reforms; Business cycles;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F44 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Business Cycles
    • F45 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Macroeconomic Issues of Monetary Unions

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