European Union (EU) plays a major part in facing this Greek financial debt crisis, which requires a major restructuring in the economic sector and to tighten stronger integration among EU member country. The primary focal point is on restoring the sustainability of public finances and addressing other macroeconomic imbalances by fostering fiscal discipline. In addition, new rules are set to ensure stronger and more effective economic governance, particularly in the euro zone area, with adequate mechanisms to monitor progress and ensure enforcement.
Facing the crisis, Greece has received two bailout packages from the EU, European Commissions (EC) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). The first package (May 2010) is worth €110
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For example, the fiscal rule is conceived to be adopted if the annual structural balance is coherent with the country specific medium-term budgetary objective (MTO) which as stated in the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) to lower limit of structural deficit of 0.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and part of preventive arm and plus it also require a “rapid convergence” in order to confront the crisis. (European Central Bank 2012)
Moreover, a higher deficit of at most 1% is only allowed if the government debt-to-GDP ratio is under 60% and risks to long term financial stability and sustainability are much lower and at the same time, it puts a numerical benchmark for debt reduction for the member state of Monetary Union. In summation, the Commission also submitted that it should take in consideration, a specific country to keep the risk based on the capabilities of each individual area. (European Central Bank 2012)
Correction mechanism such as the European Financial Stabilization Mechanism (EFSM) and The European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which is automatically activated in the case of significant, observed deviations from the MTO or the adjustment path towards it. Both mechanisms aim at correcting such deviations, including their cumulated impact on government debt dynamics, and also apply to temporary deviations justified by exceptional circumstances. As good as a strengthening of the automaticity of the excessive deficit procedure within
The Troika, made up of the International Monetary Fund, European Commissions and the European Central Bank have the most to lose in this debt crisis as they own 78% of Greek debt. With so much to lose we have seen European “bailout” agreements that mostly front the Greek government more money coupled with crippling austerity in an effort to “rebuild” the economy. Austerity discourages growth as it cuts the spending of the government who is by far the biggest spender in the economy. The effects of austerity can be devastating, but the true effects are often hidden beneath the messages we get from mainstream news sources. The stereotype of the Greek people as lazy and tax evading has desensitized the public and has made austerity seem like more of a sensible option. The media messages have made strict austerity measures seem justified and in effect have hegemozined the Greek people.
European Central Bank (ECB): Sustainable fiscal policies by all the EU members and the punishment for those members that do not comply with the
Fiscal sustainability is another public policy goal to overburden monetary policy. The gross and net debt/GDP ratios in the United States, the United Kingdom, the euro area and Japan show these four economies face the fiscal challenges. But there is larger problem which the governments have not yet change their spending and taxing. The political inconformity cause they are difficult to accept a sensible long run plan which can make the long run fiscal sustainability and short run growth at same time. So in this condition, many governments
As the rating agencies: Moody's, S&P, and Fitch continue to downgrade Eurozone debt from France to the PIIGS; the interest costs for government borrowing in Eurozone countries, with Germany excepted, continue to rise, as does the cost for the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), a creation of the European Central Bank to provide liquidity. The Eurozone has been under pressure since the global recovery began in 2009-2010 as investors began to see the troubling signs of government overspending and high GDP ratios across the 17 member group. First to this bond vigilante parade was Greece, a member nation
In examining the United States economic health, it is important to consider the current account deficits. The question as to whether or not the United States can run the current deficit accounts indefinitely. Looking at the EU and its balance of payments, the question arises again as to whether or not they can maintain the deficits they are experiencing, indefinitely. Globally speaking, the United States does hold a unique position, but does that position allow the country the ability to consistently run the deficits it currently maintains.
Being unaware about issues on the other side of the world made me realize on intriguing economic debt crisis that is going on in countries that seem like they are holding together. Greece and the European was a great issue to discuss and view both sides before since I was unaware that there was a long going crisis going on in this side of the world. Greece can either get a so many bailouts repeatedly or they can fend for themselves to find how the country is able pay back the debt they owed the EU within the past years. In my opinion, I think that Greece should give the money from the EU to survive.
Ever since the end of 2009, Greece has been involved in a financial and economic crisis that has been record breaking and shattered world records in terms of its severity and worldwide effects. The Greek government, since the beginning of the crisis, has attempted to take several governmental measures to try and “stop the bleeding,” including economy policy changes, dramatic government spending and budget cuts and the implementation of new taxes for citizens. In addition to this, the government has tried to alter the perceptions of Greek government and economy by the rest of the world in an effort to appear both more liberal and more democratic. Greece has also been working to privatize many previous
The roots of Greece’s economic problems extend deep down into the recesses of history. After the government dropped the drachma for the euro in 2001, the economy started to grow by an average of 4% annually, almost twice the European Union average. Interest rates were low, unemployment was dropping, and trade was at an all-time high. However, these promising indicators masked horrible fiscal governance, growing government debt and declining current account balances. Greece was banking on the rapid economic growth to build upwards on highly unstable foundations. In 2008, the inevitable happened – the Greek debt crisis.
In 1999, ten European nations joined together to create an economic and monetary union known as the Eurozone. Countries, such as Germany, have thrived with the euro but nations, like Greece, have deteriorated since its adoption of the euro in 2001. The Eurozone was created in 1999 and currently consists of eighteen European nations united under the European Central Bank and all use the euro. The Eurozone has a one point six percent inflation rate and an eleven point six percent unemployment rate in 2014. Greece joined the Eurozone in 2001 and was the poorest European Union member at the time with a two point six percent inflation rate3 (James, 2000). Greece had a long economic history before joining the Eurozone. The economy flourished from 1960 to 1970 with low inflation and modernization and industrialization occurring. The market crash in the late 1970’s led Greece into a state of recession that the nation is still struggling with. Military failures, the PASOK party and the introduction of the euro have further tarnished Greece’s economic stability. The nation struggles with lack of competitiveness, high deficit, and inflation. Greece has many options like bailouts, rescue packages, and PPP to help dig it out of this recession. The best option is to abandon the Eurozone and go back to the drachma. Greece’s inflation and deficit are increasing more and more and loans and bailouts have not worked in the past. Leaving the Eurozone will allow Greece to restructure and rebuild
The economic crisis of 2008 in New York had ripple effects around the world, causing deep structural problems within the European Union to crumble the economies of several countries. These countries, known as the PIGS, are made up of Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain, and collectively hold most of the sovereign debt problems of the European Union. After fast growth early in the decade, these countries were spending too much money and not securing their own banking sectors with enough capital. Soon, the debt the PIGS owed caused massive problems throughout the EU, and Germany and France had to come to the rescue of these poorly managed countries. (Greek Crisis Timeline, 1) Now, in 2012, the issue has yet to be fully resolved. Greece is still sinking, and a massive bailout for Greece's banks is required. The debate is whether Germany should continue bailing out Greece and collecting interest on its loans, or whether Greece should try to separate itself from the broader European Union, in an attempt to manage its own finances and declare bankruptcy in order to save itself from crippling interest payments. Each path offers an escape from the present situation that Greece finds itself in, but only the path of bailout results in a harmonious European Union. If Greece fragments off from the EU, then the entire union is weakened as a result. I believe that Greece should accept the terms of the bailout that Germany has provided, and should undergo several years
Although a commonly accepted view is that the hidden budget deficit in Greece is the beginning of the European sovereign debt crisis, the real causes of this economic crisis can be various. To reveal the whole event, a comprehensive review of the background is
This paper is concerned with the concepts of accountability; representation and control explain the euro debt crisis in detail. The author takes a deeper journey into the meaning of occurs of Euro sovereign debt crisis by use of definition of ARC to in-depth explain this issue. We propose further examination of the ARC relating to the Euro sovereign debt crisis in order to propose a prosperous and harmonious of Euro zone.
How is it possible for an economy, associate of the Eurozone, that was considered to be an achievement of junction in Europe for more than a decade to turn out to be considered a deep fiasco in the early 2010 and undergo a profound and exceptional financial catastrophe, in which it vanished nearly 25% of its GDP in a time frame of 5 years. Observation of the Greek economy by global policy makers and markets changed significantly in a period of a few months. It was an uncommon episode in financial history that merits a closer analysis in order to evade alike conditions in the future. The understanding or the perceptions about the reasons of the crisis define to a great degree the policy answer to the crisis. The debate about the policy mix develops a more complex issue when the origins of the crisis are both national and European. The policies that were applied in order to challenge it and particularly about the strength of the affiliation among the roots of the disaster and the policy reaction mix. Finally, it would definitely benefit us all to know if there was a substitute policy response track.
Tally (2014) states that the main objectives of the program, as set forth in an IMF internal memo(dated May 9 2010) were to reduce the Greek fiscal debt to below 3 percent by 2014 with the debt-to GDP ratio beginning to stabilize in 2013 and then start gradually declining. This also included thesafeguarding of the financial system and the restoration of the competitiveness of the Greek economy through structural reforms. The program also envisions a front loaded fiscal adjustment of 11 percent of GDP in 2010-13. These adjustments consisted of an increase in tax revenues by 4 percent of GDP, and Included a reduction of expenditures of 5.2 percent of GDP by primarily abolishing 13th and 14th salaries of civil servants and the 13th and 14th pensions in both the public and private
The crisis has hit European economies unprecedentedly hard and its effects have occurred in two phases. The first phase is the economic recession following the global economic downturn. The second phase is the so-called sovereign debt crisis which started in Greece firstly and then appeared in Ireland and Portugal. Like many other countries and organizations, European Union (EU) has also developed strategies in order to tackle the challenges of the crisis (Yurtsever, 2011).