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Assessing the sustainability of external imbalances in the European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Afonso

    (BCE - Banque Centrale Européenne - BCE)

  • Florence Huart

    (LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • João Tovar Jalles
  • Piotr Stanek

Abstract

We assess the sustainability of the current account (CA) balance, net international investment position (NIIP) and net external debt (NED) in a sample of 22 EU countries using two complementary approaches. First, we employ time‐series stationarity tests of current account balance‐to‐GDP ratios as well as cointegration tests of exports and imports of goods and services. Second, we assess the level of trade balance that stabilises the NIIP and the NED. We find that there is sustainability of the CA balance in eight countries, NIIP in five countries and NED in 10 countries, whereas there is evidence of a lack of sustainability in five debtor nations and three creditor nations. Both approaches are consistent with each other given the relationship between flows and stocks, the existence of structural breaks, and valuation effects via exchange rate and interest rate changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Afonso & Florence Huart & João Tovar Jalles & Piotr Stanek, 2018. "Assessing the sustainability of external imbalances in the European Union," Post-Print hal-01914597, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01914597
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.12709
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    Cited by:

    1. Afonso, António & Alves, José & Monteiro, Sofia, 2024. "Sovereign risk dynamics in the EU: The time varying relevance of fiscal and external (im)balances," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. António Afonso & José Alves & Tovar João Jalles & Sofia Monteiro & João Tovar Jalles, 2025. "Shaken Balances: Climate Risks and the Dynamics of Fiscal and External Sustainability," CESifo Working Paper Series 11818, CESifo.
    3. Ahmed Oluwatobi Adekunle, 2022. "The Debt-Growth Nexus in Nigeria: An Empirical Evidence," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(6), pages 155-161, November.
    4. António Afonso & José Alves & José Carlos Coelho & Jamel Saadaoui, 2025. "Fiscal and External Sustainability: a Two-Step Time-varying Granger Causality Assessment," Working Papers REM 2025/0369, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    5. Afonso, António & Huart, Florence & Tovar Jalles, João & Stanek, Piotr, 2022. "Twin deficits revisited: A role for fiscal institutions?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    6. António Afonso & José Alves & Sofia Monteiro, 2024. "The pressure is on: how geopolitical tensions impact institutional fiscal and external stability responses," Working Papers REM 2024/0318, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    7. Vicente Esteve & María A. Prats, 2023. "External sustainability in Spanish economy: Bubbles and crises, 1970–2020," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 60-80, February.
    8. António Afonso & Florence Huart & João Tovar Jalles & Piotr Stanek, 2020. "Long-run relationship between exports and imports: current account sustainability tests for the EU," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 19(2), pages 155-170, May.
    9. Jorge Silva, 2020. "Determinants of the structure of external funding: the Portuguese case," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(3), pages 2073-2084.
    10. Vassilis Monastiriotis & Cigdem Borke Tunali, 2020. "The Sustainability of External Imbalances in the European Periphery," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 273-294, April.
    11. Navarro-Ortiz, Josep & Sapena, Juan, 2020. "Is external debt sustainable? A probabilistic approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 142-153.
    12. António Afonso & José Alves & Sofia Monteiro, 2025. "Private Investment and Public Investment: Total Rates of Return and Global Balances in the OECD," CESifo Working Paper Series 11634, CESifo.
    13. António Afonso & Philemon Kwame Opoku, 2018. "The Relationship between Fiscal and Current Account Imbalances in OECD Economies," Working Papers REM 2018/61, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    14. Mansoor, Sadia & Baig, Aqeel & Lal, Irfan, 2020. "Can Pakistan Raise More External Debt? A Fiscal Reaction Approach," MPRA Paper 106868, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Siranova, Maria, 2024. "Statistical omissions as the stabilizing factor of net foreign assets in EU countries," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    16. Vicente Esteve & María A. Prats, 2022. "Can a country borrow forever? The unsustainable trajectory of international debt: the case of Spain," Working Papers 2202, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    17. Krzysztof Beck & Michał Możdżeń, 2020. "Institutional Determinants of Budgetary Expenditures. A BMA-Based Re-Evaluation of Contemporary Theories for OECD Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-31, May.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • F32 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Current Account Adjustment; Short-term Capital Movements
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • F36 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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