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The effects of competitiveness on trade balance: The case of Southern Europe

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  • Bajo-Rubio, Oscar
  • Berke, Burcu
  • Esteve, Vicente

Abstract

According to conventional wisdom, 'peripheral' Southern European members of the euro area (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain) suffer from a problem of competitiveness. Since their membership of the euro area renders devaluation impossible, adjustment should come through decreasing wages and prices in these countries, which, by improving the trade balance, should lead to a recovery of previous levels of employment and growth. In this paper, the authors estimate trade balance equations for the Southern European countries, both for total trade and for the trade performed with the European Union, taking three alternative measures of the real exchange rate, based on consumption price indices, export prices and unit labour costs, respectively. Their main conclusion is that demand seems to be more relevant than relative prices when explaining the evolution of the trade balance.

Suggested Citation

  • Bajo-Rubio, Oscar & Berke, Burcu & Esteve, Vicente, 2016. "The effects of competitiveness on trade balance: The case of Southern Europe," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 10, pages 1-27.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifweej:201630
    DOI: 10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2016-30
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    Cited by:

    1. Esposito, Piero & Messori, Marcello, 2019. "Competitive or recession gains? On the recent macroeconomic rebalances in the EMU," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 147-167.
    2. Bajo-Rubio, Oscar & Gómez-Plana, Antonio G., 2025. "Austerity and asymmetries in the fiscal policies of the eurozone," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1592, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Álvarez López, M.ª Elisa & Vega Crespo, Josefa, 2017. "La fortaleza competitiva de la economía española/The Competitive Strength of the Spanish Economy," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 35, pages 7-34, Enero.
    4. Oscar Bajo-Rubio & Antonio G. Gómez-Plana, 2025. "Austerity and asymmetries in the fiscal policies of the Eurozone: the case of Southern Europe," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1-24, May.
    5. Bajo-Rubio, Oscar & Berke, Burcu & McMillan, David G., 2020. "Exchange rate volatility in the eurozone," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 14, pages 1-23.
    6. Villanueva, Paloma & Cárdenas, Luis & Uxó, Jorge & Álvarez, Ignacio, 2020. "The role of internal devaluation in correcting external deficits: The case of Spain," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 282-296.
    7. Javier Bilbao‐Ubillos & Ana‐Isabel Fernández‐Sainz, 2022. "The results of internal devaluation policy as a crisis exit strategy: The case of Spain," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(5), pages 767-781, November.

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    JEL classification:

    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • F45 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Macroeconomic Issues of Monetary Unions

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