In this paper, we test for the stationarity and sustainability of European Union budget deficits over the period 1971 to 2006, using a panel of thirteen member countries. Our testing strategy addresses two key concerns with regard to unit root panel data testing, namely (i) the identication of which members-states are stationary, and (ii) the presence of cross-sectional dependence. We employ a moving block bootstrap approach to the Hadri (2000) procedure that tests the null of joint stationarity. In contrast to the existing literature, we find that the EU countries considered are characterised by fiscal sustainability over the full sample period. This conclusion also holds when analysing sub-periods based on before and after the Maastricht treaty.
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Paper provided by Department of Economics, Loughborough University in its series Discussion Paper Series with number
2007_13.
Find related papers by JEL classification: C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
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