IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/onb/oenbmp/y2012i1b6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding TARGET 2: The Eurosystem’s Euro Payment System from an Economic and Balance Sheet Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Handig

    (Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Financial Statements and Treasury Risk Monitoring Division)

  • Robert Holzfeind

    (Oesterreichische Nationalbank)

  • Clemens Jobst

    (Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Economic Analysis Division)

Abstract

TARGET2 – the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross settlement Express Transfer System 2 operated by the Eurosystem – provides for the efficient settlement of cross-border payments in euro and is thus a key infrastructure component of European monetary union. TARGET2 claims and liabilities in the accounts of the euro area central banks have recently become a subject of public debate. However, TARGET2 balances by definition constitute intra- Eurosystem balances and are as such an integral part of the decentralized implementation of the single monetary policy. Considerable claims and liabilities can arise for various reasons, many of which are related to the normal functioning of the euro area and do not require an economic policy response. Changes in TARGET2 balances also do not imply any direct changes in the risk exposure levels of national central banks. At the same time, there is no denying that the Eurosystem is facing major challenges in its monetary and liquidity policy. TARGET2 balances are indeed currently high owing to the financial crisis, given the need to provide liquidity aid to the European banking system. Yet as soon as such liquidity aid is no longer necessary, following appropriate economic policy measures such as recapitalizing banks or measures to restore confidence in government solvency, TARGET2 balances will also decline.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Handig & Robert Holzfeind & Clemens Jobst, 2012. "Understanding TARGET 2: The Eurosystem’s Euro Payment System from an Economic and Balance Sheet Perspective," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 81-91.
    • Handle: RePEc:onb:oenbmp:y:2012:i:1:b:6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.oenb.at/dam/jcr:9a0a2188-e51a-41f5-b808-3c763e4cdad0/mop_2012_q1_in_focus6_tcm16-246792.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clemens Jobst, 2009. "Monetary Policy Implementation during the Crisis in 2007 to 2008," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 53-77.
    2. Martin Handig & Robert Holzfeind, 2007. "Euro Banknotes in Circulation and the Allocation of Monetary Income within the Eurosystem," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 1, pages 150-163.
    3. Athanassiou, Phoebus, 2009. "Withdrawal and expulsion from the EU and EMU: some reflections," Legal Working Paper Series 10, European Central Bank.
    4. Ulrich Bindseil & Philipp Johann König, 2011. "The economics of TARGET2 balances," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2011-035, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chmielewski Tomasz & Sławiński Andrzej, 2019. "Lessons from TARGET2 imbalances: The case for the ECB being a lender of last resort," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 5(2), pages 48-63, June.
    2. Stephen Wright & Charmaine Portelli, 2018. "The True Size of the ECB: New Insights from National Central Bank Balance Sheets," Birkbeck Working Papers in Economics and Finance 1807, Birkbeck, Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.
    3. Minenna, Marcello, 2022. "Target 2 determinants: The role of Balance of Payments imbalances in the long run," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    4. Pešić Ivana V. & Vanka Gajo M., 2014. "EU Crises Multiplier - From One Crisis To Another," Economic Themes, Sciendo, vol. 52(2), pages 215-241, June.
    5. PhilippineCour-Thimann, 2013. "CESifo Forum Special Issue April 2013: Target Balances and the Crisis in the Euro Area," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 0, pages 05-50, May.
    6. Raphael A. Auer, 2014. "What drives TARGET2 balances? Evidence from a panel analysis [What drives Target2 balances? Evidence from a panel analysis]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 29(77), pages 139-197.
    7. Clemens Jobst & Claudia Kwapil, 2019. "Monetary policy of the Eurosystem and the OeNB’s balance sheet," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q1-Q2/19, pages 85-98.
    8. Martin Handig & Clemens Jobst & Doris Schneeberger, 2012. "The Cross-Border Movement of Euro Banknotes and Austria’s TARGET 2 Liabilities," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 4, pages 32-52.
    9. Stephen Cecchetti & Robert McCauley & Patrick McGuire, 2012. "Interpreting TARGET2 balances," BIS Working Papers 393, Bank for International Settlements.
    10. M. Vari, 2014. "Implementing monetary policy in a fragmented monetary union," Working papers 529, Banque de France.
    11. Philippine Cour-Thimann, 2013. "CESifo Forum Special Issue April 2013: Target Balances and the Crisis in the Euro Area," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 0(1), pages 05-50, May.
    12. J. Boeckx, 2012. "What is the role played by the Eurosystem during the financial crisis ?," Economic Review, National Bank of Belgium, issue ii, pages 7-28, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stephen Wright & Charmaine Portelli, 2018. "The True Size of the ECB: New Insights from National Central Bank Balance Sheets," Birkbeck Working Papers in Economics and Finance 1807, Birkbeck, Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.
    2. Eger, Thomas & Weise, Peter, 2020. "Die Target-Salden in der Eurozone: "Falle" oder Scheinproblem?," Discussion Papers 1/20, Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, Institute for European Integration.
    3. Charles B. Blankart & Sven Bretschneider, 2012. "Benefits and Costs of Greece's Exit from the Euro," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 65(09), pages 12-16, May.
    4. Belke, Ansgar & Klose, Jens, 2010. "(How) Do the ECB and the Fed React to Financial Market Uncertainty? – The Taylor Rule in Times of Crisis," Ruhr Economic Papers 166, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Döhrn, Roland & an de Meulen, Philipp & Barabas, György & Gebhardt, Heinz & Kitlinski, Tobias & Micheli, Martin & Schmidt, Torsten & Vosen, Simeon & Zimmermann, Lina, 2012. "Die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung im Inland: Konjunktur wieder im Aufwind," RWI Konjunkturberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, vol. 63(1), pages 43-99.
    6. Francesco Papadia, 2014. "Operational Aspects of a Hypothetical Demise of the Euro," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 1090-1102, September.
    7. Martin Watts & Timothy Sharpe & James Juniper, 2014. "Reformation or exodus: Assessing the future of the Euro," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 25(3), pages 465-483, September.
    8. Santiago Moreno-Bromberg & Luca Taschini, 2011. "Pollution permits, Strategic Trading and Dynamic Technology Adoption," Papers 1103.2914, arXiv.org.
    9. Martin Handig & Clemens Jobst & Doris Schneeberger, 2012. "The Cross-Border Movement of Euro Banknotes and Austria’s TARGET 2 Liabilities," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 4, pages 32-52.
    10. Stefano Ugolini, 2012. "The origins of foreign exchange policy: the National Bank of Belgium and the quest for monetary independence in the 1850s," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 16(1), pages 51-73, February.
    11. Nikolaus Hautsch & Julia Schaumburg & Melanie Schienle, 2015. "Financial Network Systemic Risk Contributions," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 19(2), pages 685-738.
    12. Anand, Kartik & Gai, Prasanna & Marsili, Matteo, 2012. "Rollover risk, network structure and systemic financial crises," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 1088-1100.
    13. Stephan Stahlschmidt & Helmut Tausendteufel & Wolfgang K. Härdle, 2011. "Bayesian Networks and Sex-related Homicides," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2011-045, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    14. Aurélie Bertrand & Christian Hafner, 2014. "On heterogeneous latent class models with applications to the analysis of rating scores," Computational Statistics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 307-330, February.
    15. Mammen, Enno & Rothe, Christoph & Schienle, Melanie, 2016. "Semiparametric Estimation With Generated Covariates," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 32(5), pages 1140-1177, October.
    16. Jens Ulbrich & Alexander Lipponer, 2012. "Balances in the Target2 Payments System – A Problem?," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 13(1), pages 73-76, February.
    17. Richard S. Grossman & Christopher M. Meissner, 2010. "International aspects of the Great Depression and the crisis of 2007: similarities, differences, and lessons," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 26(3), pages 318-338, Autumn.
    18. Eisenschmidt, Jens & Kedan, Danielle & Schmitz, Martin, 2022. "Euro area monetary policy and TARGET balances: a trilogy," Working Paper Series 2750, European Central Bank.
    19. Fritz Breuss, 2012. "Towards a New EMU," WIFO Working Papers 447, WIFO.
    20. Pompeo Della Posta, & Roberto Tamborini, 2021. "The existential trilemma of EMU in a model of fiscal target zone," DEM Working Papers 2021/10, Department of Economics and Management.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    TARGET2; banknotes; central bank balance sheet; ECB; Eurosystem;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:onb:oenbmp:y:2012:i:1:b:6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Rita Glaser-Schwarz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/oenbbat.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.