Growth
Enforcement and the stability and growth pact
The IMF Working Paper "Enforcement and the stability and growth pact: How fiscal policy did and did not change under Europe's fiscal framework" published May 2006, says that the Stability and Growth Pact has been a success in numerous EU countries,…
Issing praises German deficit efforts
In an interview to be published Thursday 30 March European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing welcomed efforts by the German government to tackle the country's budget deficit.
French economy's lights "turn green"
Economic growth in France picked up in the third quarter, while inflation subsided in October. Data released on 10 November showed that the economy expanded by 0.7 percent in the third quarter, while October inflation figure was down to 2 percent…
Gonzalez-Paramo on the Stability and Growth Pact
In the speech 'The reform of the Stability and Growth Pact: an assessment' given on 13 October Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo of the ECB said in EMU, fiscal rules are needed to ensure stability, growth and cohesion in the euro area.
What remains of the SGP?
Franz-Christoph Zeitler, a member of the executive board of Deutsche Bundesbank, delivered a speech at the Salzburg seminar, a high-profile meeting place of international leaders, at which raised the question "What remains of the Stability and Growth…
Comment: Output losses from financial crises
Central bankers and regulators, like other professionals, naturally spend a lot of time on the technical details of their jobs. Sometimes it is well to be reminded of just how much is at stake in their policy decisions.
European Central Bank - Annual Report 2004
The ECB published its Annual Report for the year ended 2004 on Tuesday. Lucas Papademos said there should not be any negative economic consequences from the loosening of the stability and growth pact's fiscal policy rules if the reformed pact is…
IMF's Rato criticises EU rules
International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato attacked reforms of the eurozone's budget rules on Thursday 14 April saying the pact had "served Europe well".
Interview with ECB's Papademos
In an interview published this week, European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos said the weakening of the EU stability and growth pact's rules on cutting deficits would increase the chances of an ECB interest rate hike if it led to a weakening…
IMF paper on the Stability and Growth Pact
This IMF Working Paper, Implementing the Stability & Growth Pact, analyses some key policy trade-offs involved in the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact. Greater "procedural" flexibility in the Pact's implementation may improve welfare, it…
The ECB faces a fiscal fight with its governments
There hasn't been much evidence of stability in the Stability and Growth Pact, according to this article, and now it isn't even a pact any more. Expect to see a damaging fight between the ECB and its member states, which the whole European economy will…
Trichet voices concern on fiscal rule changes
European Central Bank head Jean-Claude Trichet voiced concern on Thursday 23 March about reforms to the European Union's stability and growth pact agreed by EU leaders this week.
BoE's King: 'Coach and horses' driven through pact
Bank of England governor Mervyn King criticised European Union leaders for loosening the fiscal rules that underpin the value of the euro on Thursday 24 March, saying restrictions on government spending in the region lack "discipline."
Euro reforms make economic sense - Eichel
German Finance Minister Hans Eichel said in an interview on Tuesday 22 March the deal easing the rules that underpin the euro means the pact can now be used in an economically smart, growth-oriented way.
ECB statement on Stability and Growth Pact
The European Central Bank's Governing Council released a statement on Monday 21 March on the ECOFIN Council's report on Improving the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact.
Stability pact showdown expected
A showdown may be in the offing regarding the EU's stability and growth pact. The EU summit in Brussels next week is expected to discuss reform of the 25-nation bloc's fiscal rules.
Stability pact talks making "good progress"
EU Finance Ministers called an emergency negotiating session in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 8 March, on the stability and growth pact rules after marathon talks broke up without an agreement.
EU's Almunia confident on stability pact deal soon
The European Union commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, Joaquin Almunia, said on Wednesday 2 March that he was confident agreement would be reached "soon" on the Stability and Growth Pact.
IMF's Rajan says Europe needs 'balanced' Pact
Europe needs balanced budget rules to boost economic growth, the IMF's Chief Economist Raghuram Rajan said in an interview published on Wednesday 23 February, referring to recent plans to revamp the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact.
News Analysis : The rise of reserve management
Nick Carver looks back on two surveys1 of central bank reserve managers.
Reforming the Stability and Growth Pact
The IMF published a Discussion Paper "Reforming the Stability and Growth Pact" on Tuesday 15 February. The paper says that few changes to the rules seem necessary, but the Excessive Deficit Procedure needs a stronger focus on policies rather than…
Juncker says stability pact changes to be limited
Euro group president Jean-Claude Juncker said at the weekend that reform of the EU stability pact will be limited and will not harm economic stability.
Does Europe need stability or flexibility?
After long fighting a weakening of the stability and growth pact, it now appears as if Brussels is willing to play along. This article looks at the expected revamp of the pact and asks whether it will hurt or help Europe's economy.
Trichet: Stability and growth pact needs improving
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said that some aspects of the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact need to be improved.