IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/compes/v58y2016i3d10.1057_ces.2016.9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On the Shock-Absorbing Properties of a Banking Union: Europe Compared with the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Ansgar Belke

    (University of Duisburg-Essen
    Centre for European Policy Studies
    Institute for the Study of Labor)

  • Daniel Gros

    (Centre for European Policy Studies)

Abstract

This study investigates the shock-absorbing properties of a banking union by providing a detailed comparison between the way regional financial shocks have been absorbed at the federal level in the United States, but have led to severe regional (national) financial dislocation and tensions in the euro area. The extent to which the institutions of the banking union, which is now emerging in the euro area, should increase its capacity to deal with future regional boom and bust cycles is also discussed. Cross-border capital flows in the form of equity appear to be much more stable than those taking the form of credit, especially inter-bank credit. Moreover, credit booms and bust leave a debt overhang and losses can materialise only via insolvencies, whereas equity flows absorb automatically losses in case of a bust and provide the cross-border owner with incentives to continue to provide financing even during a crisis. It follows that cross-border banks can absorb regional shocks. Of course, there is no free lunch: large cross-border banks pose the ‘too big to fail’ problem, and they also propagate shocks, especially if they originate in large countries, to the entire area.

Suggested Citation

  • Ansgar Belke & Daniel Gros, 2016. "On the Shock-Absorbing Properties of a Banking Union: Europe Compared with the United States," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 58(3), pages 359-386, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:58:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1057_ces.2016.9
    DOI: 10.1057/ces.2016.9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/ces.2016.9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/ces.2016.9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pierfederico Asdrubali & Bent E. Sørensen & Oved Yosha, 1996. "Channels of Interstate Risk Sharing: United States 1963–1990," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 111(4), pages 1081-1110.
    2. Buch, Claudia M. & Körner, Tobias & Weigert, Benjamin, 2013. "Towards Deeper Financial Integration in Europe: What the Banking Union Can Contribute," IWH Discussion Papers 13/2013, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    3. Ralf Hepp & Jürgen von Hagen, 2013. "Interstate risk sharing in Germany: 1970--2006," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 65(1), pages 1-24, January.
    4. Stefano G. Athanasoulis & Eric van Wincoop, 2001. "Risk Sharing Within The United States: What Do Financial Markets And Fiscal Federalism Accomplish?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(4), pages 688-698, November.
    5. Kalemli-Ozcan, Sebnem & Papaioannou, Elias & Peydró, José-Luis, 2010. "What lies beneath the euro's effect on financial integration? Currency risk, legal harmonization, or trade?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 75-88, May.
    6. Yuliya Demyanyk & Charlotte Ostergaard & Bent E. Sorensen, 2008. "Risk sharing and portfolio allocation in EMU," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 334, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    7. Mark Mink & Jakob de Haan & Jakob de Haan, 2014. "Spillovers from Systemic Bank Defaults," CESifo Working Paper Series 4792, CESifo.
    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. Koetter, Michael & Krause, Thomas & Tonzer, Lena, 2019. "Delay determinants of European Banking Union implementation," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-20.
    2. Roman Horvath, 2018. "Financial market fragmentation and monetary transmission in the euro area: what do we know?," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 319-334, October.
    3. Mardi Dungey & Moses Kangogo & Vladimir Volkov, 2022. "Dynamic effects of network exposure on equity markets," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 12(4), pages 569-629, December.
    4. Lazopoulos, Ioannis & Gabriel, Vasco, 2019. "Policy mandates and institutional architecture," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 122-134.
    5. Belke, Ansgar & Dobrzańska, Anna & Gros, Daniel & Smaga, Paweł, 2016. "(When) should a non-euro country join the banking union?," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 14(PA), pages 4-19.
    6. Kangogo, Moses & Volkov, Vladimir, 2021. "Dynamic effects of network exposure on equity markets," Working Papers 2021-03, University of Tasmania, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics.
    7. Ansgar Belke, 2020. "Depression and grief as a result of economic and financial crises: the example of Greece and some generalizations," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 139-149, February.

    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. Belke, Ansgar & Gros, Daniel, 2015. "Banking Union as a Shock Absorber," Ruhr Economic Papers 548, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    2. repec:zbw:rwirep:0548 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Ansgar Belke & Daniel Gros, 2015. "Banking Union as a Shock Absorber," Ruhr Economic Papers 0548, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    4. Bofinger, Peter & Buch, Claudia M. & Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Wieland, Volker, 2013. "Gegen eine rückwärtsgewandte Wirtschaftspolitik. Jahresgutachten 2013/14 [Against a backward-looking economic policy. Annual Report 2013/14]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201314.
    5. Pontines, Victor, 2020. "A provincial view of consumption risk sharing in Korea:Asset classes as shock absorbers," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    6. Parsley, David & Popper, Helen, 2019. "GDP Synchronicity and Risk Sharing Channels in a Monetary Union: Blue State and Red States," MPRA Paper 98981, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Atanas Pekanov, 2019. "Policy Brief: Past and Present of EMU Reform. Reforming the Euro Area – The Road Not (Yet) Taken," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 61850, February.
    8. Fiorelli, Cristiana & Giannini, Massimo & Martini, Barbara, 2022. "Private and public risk sharing across Italian regions," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Valentina Milano, 2017. "Risk Sharing in the Euro Zone: the Role of European Institutions," Working Papers CELEG 1701, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, LUISS Guido Carli.
    10. Davide Furceri & Aleksandra Zdzienicka, 2015. "The Euro Area Crisis: Need for a Supranational Fiscal Risk Sharing Mechanism?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 683-710, September.
    11. Luca Rossi, 2021. "Revisiting the Case for a Fiscal Union: the Federal Fiscal Channel of Downside-Risk Sharing in the United States," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1351, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    12. Atanas Christev & Jacques Melitz, 2013. "EMU, EU, Market Integration and Consumption Smoothing," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 24(5), pages 789-818, November.
    13. Claudia M. Buch, 2013. "From the Stability Pact to ESM - What Next?," Chapters, in: Andreas Dombret & Otto Lucius (ed.), Stability of the Financial System, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Agustin S. Benetrix, 2015. "International Risk Sharing and the Irish Economy," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 46(1), pages 29-49.
    15. Beetsma, Roel & Cima, Simone & Cimadomo, Jacopo, 2018. "A minimal moral hazard central stabilisation capacity for the EMU based on world trade," CEPR Discussion Papers 12600, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    16. 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.
    17. Fidrmuc, Jan, 2015. "Political economy of fiscal unions," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 147-157.
    18. Cimadomo, Jacopo & Ciminelli, Gabriele & Furtuna, Oana & Giuliodori, Massimo, 2020. "Private and public risk sharing in the euro area," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    19. Hebous, Shafik & Weichenrieder, Alfons J., 2015. "Towards a fiscal union? On the acceptability of a fiscal transfer system in the eurozone," SAFE White Paper Series 28, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    20. Faruk Balli & Sebnem Kalemli‐Ozcan & Bent E. Sørensen, 2012. "Risk sharing through capital gains," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(2), pages 472-492, May.
    21. Eduardo Silva & Alex Ferreira, 2023. "Risk-sharing within Brazil and South America," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(2), pages 661-695, August.

    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:pal:compes:v:58:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1057_ces.2016.9. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    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.