... 2 2.0 The Establishment of the Euro Zone and the introduction of the Euro 2 3.0 Key Causes of the European Financial and Economic Crises 3 4.0 The Start and Progression of the European Debt Crisis 5 5.1 Greece 6 5.2 Portugal 6 5.3 Italy 7 5.4 Spain 7 5.5 Ireland 8 5.6 Iceland 9 5.0 Measures Taken (so far) to Combat the Debt Crisis (European Level) 10 6.7 European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). 10 6.8 European Financial Stabilization Mechanism (EFSM). 10 6.9 ECB interventions. 10 6.10 Brussels Agreement. 11 6.0 Implications of the European Debt Crisis: For the European Union 12 7.0 Implications of the European Debt Crisis: For the Global Economy 13 8.0 Implications of the European Debt Crisis: For Global Politics 14 9.0 Implications of the European Debt Crisis: For Pakistan 15 10.0 Implications of the European Debt Crisis: For the Welfare State 16 11.0 Solutions for the European Debt Crisis 16 12.11 Eurobonds. 16 12.12 Restructuring of Eurozone. 18 1.0 Overview: With a nominal GDP of $16,242 Billion in 2010 (20% of global GDP), the European monetary union is not only the world’s largest economic block, but also the foremost integrated economic and political association of nations in history. The economic crisis the Euro Zone currently faces is unique in all...
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...the euro-zone crisis – causes, the crisis and reformation policies (with special reference to greece) the euro-zone ‘The Eurozone’ is the nickname commonly used to describe the member states that use the EU’s single currency, the Euro. The idea of creating a single currency for the European Community was first mentioned in the 1970 Werner report, which led to the establishing of the European Monetary System (EMS), the forerunner of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The Maastricht Treaty (1992) made EMU a part of EU law and set out a plan to introduce the single currency (the Euro) by 1999. The Maastricht Treaty also established certain budgetary and monetary rules for countries wishing to join the EMU (known as the convergence criteria). In 1998, 11 member states (Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Austria and Finland) undertook the final stage of EMU when they adopted a single exchange rate, which was set by the European Central Bank (Britain, Sweden and Denmark negotiated an opt-out from this final states of EMU). The new Euro notes and coins were launched on 1 January 2002. There are currently 16 EU states in the Eurozone. Greece joined the initial 11 members in 2001, Slovenia joined in 2007, Cyprus and Malta in 2008, and Slovakia joined in 2009. Estonia is due to join the Eurozone in 2011. All future members of the EU must adopt the Euro when they fulfil the convergence criteria. Economic and Monetary Union...
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...The Eurozone crisis (often referred to as the Euro crisis) is an ongoing crisis that has been affecting the countries of the Eurozone since late 2009. It is a combined sovereign debt crisis, a banking crisis and a growth and competitiveness crisis.[8] The crisis made it difficult or impossible for some countries in the euro area to repay or re-finance their government debt without the assistance of third parties. Moreover, banks in the Eurozone are undercapitalized and have faced liquidity problems. Additionally, economic growth is slow in the whole of the Eurozone and is unequally distributed across the member states.[8] In 1992, members of the European Union signed the Maastricht Treaty, under which they pledged to limit their deficit spending and debt levels. However, in the early 2000s, a number of EU member states were failing to stay within the confines of the Maastricht criteria and turned to securitising future government revenues to reduce their debts and/or deficits. Sovereigns sold rights to receive future cash flows, allowing governments to raise funds without violating debt and deficit targets, but sidestepping best practice and ignoring internationally agreed standards.[9] This allowed the sovereigns to mask (or "Enronize") their deficit and debt levels through a combination of techniques, including inconsistent accounting, off-balance-sheet transactions as well as the use of complex currency and credit derivatives structures.[9] From late 2009, fears of...
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...Financial Scandals and the Role of Private Enforcement: The Parmalat Case Law Working Paper N° 40/2005 May 2005 Guido Ferrarini University of Genoa, Centre for Law and Finance and ECGI Paolo Giudici Free University of Bozen and Centre for Law and Finance © Guido Ferrarini and Paolo Giudici 2005. All rights reserved. Short sections of text, not to exceed two paragraphs, may be quoted without explicit permission provided that full credit, including © notice, is given to the source. This paper can be downloaded without charge from: http://ssrn.com/abstract=730403 www.ecgi.org/wp ECGI Working Paper Series in Law Financial Scandals and the Role of Private Enforcement: The Parmalat Case Working Paper N° 40/2005 May 2005 Guido Ferrarini Paolo Giudici This Working Paper is based upon a draft prepared for the EU Corporate Law Making Conference (Cambridge, October 29-30, 2004) organized by Harvard Law School and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). The authors are grateful to Gerard Hertig, Mark Roe, Donald Langevoort, and other conference participants for helpful comments. Drafts of this paper were also presented at the Yale Law School Alumni Meeting on October 8-10, 2004; at a meeting of the Associazione Via Isonzo held in Milan on October 10, 2004; and at a seminar at the Institute of Law and Finance (ILF), University of Frankfurt, on January 18, 2005. The authors are grateful to Theodore Baums, Andreas Cahn, Carmine Di Noia, Jon Macey,...
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...13 The EU: In or Out? By Christopher Viggor, Analyst, MSc Economics Eurozone – page 7 Take-off instead of hard landing? By Wodzik Kicinski, Analyst, BSc Economics Japan – page 15 Italy – is politics enough? By Andrei Damaschin, Co-Editor, BSc Accounting and Finance Challenges facing Japan By Melson Chun, Analyst, Law Warwick Investment Club Research Team 2 January 20, 2013 Fortnightly Market Wrap -Up Macro Strategy Cautious Optimism for 2013 By Swasti Gupta, Analyst, 2nd-year BSc Economics The S&P 500 closed on a 5-year high at 1,485.98 on Friday, after increasing for a third consecutive week since the New Year. The rally comes in response to strong fourth quarter earnings results, announced by banks and industrials earlier this week. Meanwhile Wall’s Street’s fear gauge, as measured by the VIX volatility index 1, closed the week at its lowest level since 2007 amidst speculation of a “great rotation”2. The CBOE VIX index is a measure of volatility perceived by investors. A forward looking measure, it is based on the pricing of options which investors use to protect their portfolios against losses in the S&P 500. In essence, greater investor confidence implies a low VIX - and this is exactly what we have seen with the VIX falling 31% since the start of the month to 12.46 (compared to a VIX of 79.13 at the height of the financial crisis implying very high volatility). Fiscal Cliff Compromise It appears that the fiscal cliff may have been sufficiently...
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...The Cost-Efficiency of French Banks∗ Estelle Brack†and Ramona Jimborean‡ First Draft: September 2008 This Version: April 2009 Abstract The paper addresses the issue of French banks efficiency, compared to their homologous from Europe and the United States. The analysis is realized on a sample formed by the ten biggest banks from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, over the period 1994-2006. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method is employed. The results show an improvement in cost-efficiency of French and Spanish banks, while in the other countries a decline in cost-efficiency is noted. We proceed to several tests of convergence, showing that inefficient banks have reduced the gap during the period 1994-2006. In a second step analysis, we focus on the factors standing behind the efficiency scores obtained through DEA methodology. These are bank-specific variables, the macro environment, the regulatory regime and the non-bank financial sector development. We use a standard censured Tobit model and show that capitalized, newly established banks, with tighter ratios of Tier 1 capital and operating in a country with a lower GDP per capita record the highest cost-efficiency scores. JEL Classification: C14, C6, D24, G21, L25 Keywords: Cost-efficiency; Banking systems; Data envelopment analysis The authors gratefully acknowledge Serge Oppenchaim, C´line Choulet, Guillaume Guidoni and Julien e Geffroy for their contribution to this work. The views expressed...
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...need more secure access to energy resources. Beside the North-South and East-West energy corridors, Europe ingests the South-North corridor, connecting it with North Africa and the Middle East. In 2007 Oil and Gas Journal estimated stocks and supplies of oil at 114 billion barrel and natural gas at 13, 9 billion cubic meter. Almost one third of European imported oil comes either from the Middle East or from North-West Africa. Europe pipeline interests in the south are focused exclusively on natural gas. In 2006 Algeria delivered 16, 7% of Europe gas, and it’s considered to be the biggest third land delivers natural gas, including LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), to Europe. Almost half of the supplies to Europe go to Spain and the rest to Italy and France. The other two important countries in the region producing Gas are Libya and Egypt, they hold together with Algeria a proven reserves of 4, 5% of the world reserves. These three lands can present a reliable long-term alternative to the Russian gas. Starting from 2020 Algeria for example can...
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...Global Macro Research Top of Mind November 13, 2014 Issue 29 Is Europe the Next Japan? From the editor: A slowdown in Euro area growth momentum from an already anemic pace, combined with ongoing concerns about deflation risks, has made comparisons with Japan’s so-called “lost decades” Top of Mind. We ask three experts whether the Euro area is set to repeat Japan’s prolonged period of stagnation and deflation: former BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa (unclear, but Euro area recovery requires addressing the underlying problem of economic integration and not its symptom, deflation), GS Chief European Economist Huw Pill (low growth and even some deflation similar to Japan, in terms of outcome if not in terms of causes, are likely in the short term, but – also akin to Japan – a deflationary spiral is not), and LSE Professor Paul De Grauwe (there is a real risk of this outcome or worse unless policies change). We conclude that Euro area economies and assets could escape Japan’s fate but warn that Euro area stagnation would have a greater impact on the global economy than did Japan’s. Inside Interview with Masaaki Shirakawa Former Governor of the Bank of Japan 4 Headed for Japanese-style deflation? Silvia Ardagna, GS Rates Strategy 6 Interview with Huw Pill GS Chief European Economist 8 Euro area stagnation and its discontents Jose Ursua, GS Global Economics Research 10 Interview with Paul De Grauwe Professor, London School of Economics ...
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...STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BSRM Information Memorandum for: Term Loan Facility: BDT 1,987 Million Arranger Agrani Bank Co-Arranger IDLC of Bangladesh Limited February 2006 Disclaimer This confidential Information Memorandum (IM) on BSRM Steels Limited, in connection with the proposed Syndicated Term Loan of BDT 1,987 Million has been compiled by Agrani Bank (Lead Arranger) & IDLC of Bangladesh Ltd. (Co-arranger) with a view to assisting the lenders in assessing the merits of the offer. The information, opinion and projections contained in this Information Memorandum have been supplied by the client. BSRM Steels Limited has confirmed to the Arranger & Coarranger that, to the best of its knowledge and belief and except as otherwise provided in this Information Memorandum, such information is true and fair in all material respects as at February 2006, that all such opinions are honestly held by the company, that all such projections are fair and accurate in all material respects having regard to the circumstances now prevailing and in the light of the assumptions made and that the Information Memorandum does not omit any information such that its omission would make this Information Memorandum or any information contained herein inaccurate, untrue, or misleading in any material respect. Agrani Bank & IDLC Of Bangladesh Ltd., in their role as Arranger and Co-arranger respectively have not independently verified the information, opinions or projections referred to in the IM. No...
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...economic, social and environmental performance Evolution of the main indicators 2011 Turnover (in millions of euros) Sales 2010 13,793 12,527 Results and cash flow (in millions of euros) Operating profit (EBITDA) Operating profit (EBIT) Net income Net income attributable to the parent company Cash flow 3,258 2,522 1,946 1,932 2,613 2,966 2,290 1,741 1,732 2,540 Financial and management ratios ROE ROCE 28% 37% 30% 39% Other relevant information Number of stores Net openings Number of markets with commercial presence Number of employees % men/women Overall energy consumtion (Tj) Number of suppliers Social investment (in millions of euros) 5,527 483 82 109,512 20.5/79.5% 3,381 1,398 14 5,044 437 77 100,138 19.5/80.5% 3,230 1,337 11 Highlights Sales 13,793 12,527 9,435 10,407 11,048 10,000 7,500 15,000 12,500 5,000 2,500 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Sales by geographical Rest of Europe 45% Spain 25% America Asia and the rest of the 12% world 18% Net profit 2,500 1,946 1,741 1,258 1,262 1,322 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Number of employees 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 79,517 109,512 100,138 92,301 89,112 Inditex´s Annual Report addresses its economic, social and environmental performance for the purposes of achieving the maximum transparency in its relationship with all...
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...The Political Economy of the Greek Debt Crisis: A Tale of Two Bailouts Silvia Ardagna and Francesco Caselli First draft: February 2012; Final version: January 2014 Abstract We review the events that led to the May 2010 and July 2011 bailout agreements. We interpret the bailouts as outcomes of political-economy equilibria. We argue that these equilibria were likely not on the Pareto frontier, and sketch political-economy arguments for why collective policy making in the Euro area may lead to suboptimal outcomes. Most modern sovereign debt crises have been managed in Washington, DC, through the combined e¤orts of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the US government. A distinctive feature of the crisis that has engulfed European sovereign-debt markets since the fall of 2009 has been that the IMF has played only a supporting (albeit important) role, while the management of the crisis has been driven by European institutions: the council of …nance ministers (ECOFIN), the European Council (EC, made up by all the heads of government of the European Union) and the European Central Bank (ECB). To the extent that the IMF is largely a technocratic institution (though of course not entirely immune from political in‡ uence) while ECOFIN and the EC are made up of politicians, one may expect the management of the crisis by the EC to be more a¤ected by electoral concerns. Furthermore, since there are 27 members to the EC, representing countries with potentially di¤erent interests, one...
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...ABSTRACT The 2008 eurozone financial crisis has only worsened as of summer 2011 raising questions about the economic future of the eurozone and sending shock waves through economies around the world. Greece was the first state to receive a bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, surprisingly followed only six months later by Ireland. The goal of this thesis is to analyze the challenges posed to smaller, weaker economies within the eurozone, specifically Greece and Ireland, since the recent eurozone financial crisis. This study is based on the experiences of both Greece and Ireland as very different members of the single currency. How and why did these states meet the criteria for euro convergence? To what extent was there support for the euro in both countries in the past? To what extent is there support today after the near collapse of both economies and the rescue packages brought about by the EU? As a result of the recent financial crisis, Greece and Ireland are facing difficulties with the terms of European economic and monetary union. Since these smaller economies are, among other reasons, unable to devalue the currency in order to regain economic competitiveness as members of the single currency, they are...
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...The European Union (EU) was established in 1957 by six western European countries. Then known as the European Economic Community (EEC), its aim was to create a Common Market. During its lifetime, the EU has evolved from this Common Market towards monetary union with the establishment of a single currency, the Euro. There has also been a great deal of political integration, with an example of this being the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Currently, membership of the European Union consists of twenty five states. The last wave of admissions included many former Communist bloc countries such as Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The next scheduled enlargement is in 2007, when Romania and Bulgaria are scheduled to join. After this, the next state scheduled to join is Turkey, which will open negotiations with the EU in October 2005. Potential Turkish membership of the EU is in many ways a paradox. Turkey has for many years had pro-western leanings. Its strategic requirements during the Cold War led Ankara to strongly embrace NATO and rely on the west for its security guarantees. Also, the founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk founded the state on six profoundly western pillars. These were: firstly, Secularism, which effectively meant removing the direct influence of religious leaders on political decisions and education; secondly, Republicanism, organising the polity as a modern state, as opposed to the Ottoman Empire; thirdly, Populism, not accepting...
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...to move to the third and final stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), and the decision on which countries would be the first to introduce the euro. To mark this anniversary, the Commission is undertaking a strategic review of EMU. This paper constitutes part of the research that was either conducted or financed by the Commission as source material for the review. Economic Papers are written by the Staff of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, or by experts working in association with them. The Papers are intended to increase awareness of the technical work being done by staff and to seek comments and suggestions for further analysis. The views expressed are the author’s alone and do not necessarily correspond to those of the European Commission. Comments and enquiries should be addressed to: European Commission Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs Publications B-1049 Brussels Belgium E-mail: Ecfin-Info@ec.europa.eu This paper exists in English only and can be downloaded from the website http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications A great deal of additional information is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu) ISBN 978-92-79-08236-8 doi: 10.2765/50808 © European Communities, 2008 Economic governance in an enlarged euro area Iain Begg1 European Institute, London School of Economic and Political Science Abstract: Ten years on from its launch, it is clear that EMU...
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...economies cannot maintain their previous momentum. If anything goes wrong – and there are known potential shocks in the coming months – the risk is rising of a dangerous economic slide. The Brookings Institution-Financial Times Tracking Indices for the Global Economic Recovery shows a steep drop in 2012 so far, leading professor Eswar Prasad of Brookings to describe the global economy as “on the ropes”. In the International Monetary Fund’s twice-yearly World Economic Outlook, published this week, Olivier Blanchard, the fund’s chief economist, said the world economy was hamstrung by uncertainty, which was pre- venting companies from investing and households from spending. “Worries about the ability of European policymakers to control the euro crisis and worries about the failure to date of US policymakers to agree on a fiscal plan surely play an important role, but one that is hard to nail down,” he said. The renewed concern about the health of the global economy marks a depressing return to fear after an initially strong global recovery. World output jumped 5.1 per cent in...
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