IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/por/fepwps/464.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Can EU high indebted countries manage to fulfill fiscal sustainability? Some evidence from the solvency constraint

Author

Listed:
  • Andreea Stoian

    (Department of Finance, Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • Rui Henrique Alves

    (Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto)

Abstract

The public finance constraints introduced by the Maastricht Treaty have been subject to numerous debates among economists. Balassone and Franco (2000) pointed out, for instance, that the fulfillment of these constraints allows for fiscal discipline and flexibility and excludes any bias from an unsustainable fiscal policy in the long run. But data shows that many of the advanced economies have exceeded the limits for budgetary deficits and public debt since 1993. Therefore, the question on whether fiscal policy is sustainable naturally arises. The aim of this paper is to investigate the achievement of the solvency constraint for the European Union high indebted countries using a simple public debt dynamic model. The required primary surplus is estimated under different scenarios, namely: (i) a baseline that aims at stabilizing public debt; (ii) a 60% of GDP scenario; and (iii) a minimum public debt scenario that differs among the countries under analysis. From results, we try to draw conclusions on what really matters for fiscal sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreea Stoian & Rui Henrique Alves, 2012. "Can EU high indebted countries manage to fulfill fiscal sustainability? Some evidence from the solvency constraint," FEP Working Papers 464, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
  • Handle: RePEc:por:fepwps:464
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.fep.up.pt/investigacao/workingpapers/wp464.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vera Catarina Rocha, 2012. "The entrepreneur in economic theory: from an invisible man toward a new research field," FEP Working Papers 459, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    2. Raquel Meneses & Carlos Brito, 2012. "A Dynamic Approach To The Development Of International New Ventures," FEP Working Papers 454, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    3. Wilcox, David W, 1989. "The Sustainability of Government Deficits: Implications of the Present-Value Borrowing Constraint," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 21(3), pages 291-306, August.
    4. João Correia-da-Silva & Joana Pinho, 2012. "The profit-sharing rule that maximizes sustainability of cartel agreements," FEP Working Papers 463, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    5. Duarte N. Leite & Sandra T. Silva & Oscar Afonso, 2014. "Institutions, Economics And The Development Quest," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 491-515, July.
    6. Sara Santos Cruz & Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2012. "Methodological approaches for measuring the creative employment: a critical appraisal with an application to Portugal," FEP Working Papers 455, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    7. Ana Paula Ribeiro & Sandra Tavares Silva & Duarte Guimarães, 2015. "Macroeconomic Fundamentals of Poverty and Deprivation: An Empirical Study for Developed Countries," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 27(1), pages 37-66, January.
    8. Pedro Cosme Costa Vieira, 2012. "A low cost supercritical Nuclear + Coal 3.0 Gwe power plant," FEP Working Papers 461, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    9. Mário Alexandre Patrício Martins da Silva, 2012. "The Knowledge Multiplier," FEP Working Papers 456, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    10. Sara Santos Cruz & Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2012. "Industry-based methodological approaches to the measurement of Creative Industries: a theoretical and empirical account," FEP Working Papers 453, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    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. Andreea Stoian & Filip Iorgulescu, 2016. "The study of public debt: which are the distinctions between the emerging and advanced economies in the European Union?," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 43(1), pages 167-196, February.
    2. Abel L. Costa Fernandes & Paulo R. Mota, 2012. "Triffin’s Dilemma Again and the Efficient Level of U.S. Government Debt," FEP Working Papers 469, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.

    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. João Correia-da-Silva & Joana Pinho, 2012. "The profit-sharing rule that maximizes sustainability of cartel agreements," FEP Working Papers 463, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    2. Ricardo Biscaia & Paula Sarmento, 2012. "Cost inefficiency and Optimal Market Structure in Spatial Cournot Discrimination," FEP Working Papers 462, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    3. Pedro Cosme Costa Vieira, 2012. "A low cost supercritical Nuclear + Coal 3.0 Gwe power plant," FEP Working Papers 461, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    4. Abel L. Costa Fernandes & Paulo R. Mota, 2012. "Triffin’s Dilemma Again and the Efficient Level of U.S. Government Debt," FEP Working Papers 469, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    5. Onel, Gulcan & Utkulu, Utku, 2006. "Modeling the long-run sustainability of Turkish external debt with structural changes," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 669-682, July.
    6. Anton Velinov, 2014. "Assessing the Sustainability of Government Debt: On the Different States of the Debt/GDP Process," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1359, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    7. Pierre ALDAMA & Jérôme Creel, 2017. "Fiscal policy in the US : Ricardian after all ?," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2017-23, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    8. Mohammad Mahbubur Rahma, 2017. "Budget Deficit Sustainability of Bangladesh," Asian Development Policy Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 5(2), pages 120-130, June.
    9. Borgersen, Trond-Arne & King, Roswitha M., 2014. "Structural origins of debt-sustainability in mature and transition economies: Domar, Balassa–Samuelson and Maastricht," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 101-119.
    10. Terézia Vančová, 2019. "The Excess Smoothness and Sensitivity of Consumption in the V4 Countries," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 67(6), pages 1653-1663.
    11. Neaime, Simon, 2015. "Sustainability of budget deficits and public debts in selected European Union countries," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21.
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/4718gto3ar8s3r4k307p0bvbcs is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Aldama Pierre & Jérôme Creel, 2016. "Why fiscal regimes matter for fiscal sustainability analysis : an application to France," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2016-15, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    14. Noppadol Buranathanung & Chaipat Poonpatpibul, 2003. "External Debt Dynamics and Current Account Sustainability," Working Papers 2003-10, Monetary Policy Group, Bank of Thailand.
    15. Ismet GOCER & Mehmet MERCAN, 2016. "Which country after Greece? Sustainability of budget deficits in selected EU countries: A panel cointegration analysis with multiple structural breaks under cross-section dependence," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(3(608), A), pages 205-220, Autumn.
    16. Aparicio, Sebastian & Audretsch, David & Noguera, Maria & Urbano, David, 2022. "Can female entrepreneurs boost social mobility in developing countries? An institutional analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    17. Viviane Luporini, 2014. "Sustainability Of Brazilian Fiscalpolicy, Once Again: Corrective Policy Response Over Time," Anais do XL Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 40th Brazilian Economics Meeting] 064, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    18. Philip Arestis & Andrea Cipollini & Bassam Fattouh, 2004. "Threshold Effects in the U.S. Budget Deficit," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(2), pages 214-222, April.
    19. Yoshida, Motonori, 2023. "Chronological changes of government sectors’ fiscal policies and fiscal sustainability in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    20. Goswami , Gour Gobinda & Hossain, Mohammad Mashnun, 2013. "From Judgmental Projection to Time Series Forecast: Does it Alter the Debt Sustainability Analysis of Bangladesh?," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 36(3), pages 1-41, September.
    21. Shruti SHASTRI & A.K. GIRI & Geetilaxmi MOHAPATRA, 2017. "An empirical assessment of fiscal sustainability for selected South Asian economies," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(610), S), pages 163-178, Spring.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal policy; primary balance; public debt; fiscal sustainability; Maastricht Treaty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:por:fepwps:464. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fepuppt.html .

    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.