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Assessing the Sustainability of External Imbalances in the European Union

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  • António Afonso
  • Florence Huart
  • 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 EU countries using two complementary approaches. First, we employ both time-series and panel-data 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 stabilizes the NIIP and the NED. We find that there is sustainability of the CA balance mainly in a few surplus countries whereas there is more concern about the sustainability of the NIIP or NED in countries with a credit position than in countries with a debit position. Both approaches are consistent with each other given the relationship between flows and stocks, the existence of important structural breaks, and valuation effects via the exchange rate. Key Words : current account, exports, imports, net foreign assets, unit roots, structural breaks, cointegration, error-correction, cross-sectional dependence.

Suggested Citation

  • António Afonso & Florence Huart & João Tovar Jalles & Piotr Stanek, 2017. "Assessing the Sustainability of External Imbalances in the European Union," Working Papers Department of Economics 2017/10, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
  • Handle: RePEc:ise:isegwp:wp102017
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    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. Jorge Silva, 2020. "Determinants of the structure of external funding: the Portuguese case," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(3), pages 2073-2084.
    9. Navarro-Ortiz, Josep & Sapena, Juan, 2020. "Is external debt sustainable? A probabilistic approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 142-153.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
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    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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