10. From the Single Market to the Single Currency

Author(s):  
Dorothee Heisenberg

This chapter examines how France's dissatisfaction with de facto German dominance of the European Monetary System (EMS) set the European Community (EC) on the road to the economic and monetary union (EMU) in the late 1980s. It first considers the conduct and outcome of the Maastricht negotiations on EMU before discussing the rocky road to the launch of the single currency in 1999 and the experience of EMU since then. In particular, it analyses the difficulty of enforcing the Stability and Growth Pact for fiscal discipline among participating member states. It also looks at the Delors Committee and the role of Bundesbank president Karl-Otto Pöhl. Finally, the chapter explores attempts to coordinate fiscal policy management as well as the onset and impact of the eurozone crisis.

Author(s):  
Robert Plaga ◽  
Hubert Smekal

This working paper seeks to define perspectives of the functioning of the Stability and Growth Pact as a tool for regulation of national fiscal policies through analysis and description of legal acts regarding the Pact and through analysis and statistical evaluation of the compliance of the EMU States with requirements for fiscal discipline. The first part brings the description of the Pact's functioning mechanism and defines its weaknesses (e.g. extensive role of the Council). The second part tries to analyse and statistically evaluate how the Member States complied with the provisions of the Pact during the years 1999-2003. The results are compared with the most mentioned shortcomings of the Pact. In the concluding part the paper discusses proposals for a change of the Pact and tries to estimate perspectives of its functioning in the future.


2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 18-19
Author(s):  
MICHAEL S. JELLINEK
Keyword(s):  
The Road ◽  

Author(s):  
Dan Jerker B. Svantesson

This chapter explores the role geo-location technologies may play on the road towards achieving jurisdictional interoperability. The relevant technologies involved are introduced briefly, their accuracy examined, and an overview is provided of their use, including the increasingly common use of so-called geo-blocking. Attention is then given to perceived and real concerns stemming from the use of geo-location technologies and how these technologies impact international law, territoriality, and sovereignty, as well as to the role these technologies may play in law reform. The point is made that the current ‘effect-focused’ rules in both private international law and public international law (as those disciplines are traditionally defined), are likely to continue to work as an incentive for the use of geo-location technologies.


2020 ◽  
pp. 002252662097950
Author(s):  
Fredrik Bertilsson

This article contributes to the research on the expansion of the Swedish post-war road network by illuminating the role of tourism in addition to political and industrial agendas. Specifically, it examines the “conceptual construction” of the Blue Highway, which currently stretches from the Atlantic Coast of Norway, traverses through Sweden and Finland, and enters into Russia. The focus is on Swedish governmental reports and national press between the 1950s and the 1970s. The article identifies three overlapping meanings attached to the Blue Highway: a political agenda of improving the relationships between the Nordic countries, industrial interests, and tourism. Political ambitions of Nordic community building were clearly pronounced at the onset of the project. Industrial actors depended on the road for the building of power plants and dams. The road became gradually more connected with the view of tourism as the motor of regional development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Emmanouil-Marios L. Economou ◽  
Nicholas C. Kyriazis ◽  
Nikolaos A. Kyriazis

By analyzing the case of Athens during the Classical period (508-323 BCE) the main thesis of this paper is that under direct democracy procedures and the related institutional setup, a monetary system without a Central Bank may function relatively well. We focus on the following issues: (i) Τhe procedures of currency issuing in the Athenian city-state, (ii) why the Athenian drachma become the leading international currency in the Mediterranean world (iii) how and towards which targets monetary policy without a Central Bank was possible (iv) defining the targets of monetary policy and the mechanisms for its implementation (v) the role of money in the economy (vi) the issue of deficit spending (vii) the reasons of the replacement of the Athenian drachma as a leading currency by others from the Hellenistic period onwards (viii) the correlation of our findings regarding the decentralized character of monetary policy in Classical Athens to today’s realities, such as the issue of cryptocurrencies. Our analysis shows that monetary policy without a Central Bank was possible, with its foremost aim being the stability of the currency (mainly, silver coins) in order to enhance trust in it and so, make it an international currency which could outcompete other currencies. Since there was no Central Bank like today, monetary policy decisions were taken by the popular assembly of citizens in combination with the market forces themselves.


2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Lelart

The evolution of the international monetary System prompted the nine members of the E.E.C. to establish a European Monetary System. The new statutes of the I.M.F. have in fact legalized the practice of flexible exchange rates and sanctioned the dollar's inconvertibility while eliminating the role of gold. Further, the increasing importance of the international capital markets fosters the unlimited expansion of international liquidities. it is in response to this context then that Europe seeks to create a zone of stability and to manage its own international tender in accordance with rules that it has set for itself. The author draws a positive conclusion as the System has operated without major problems so far. Nevertheless, difficulties remain: the international environment has not improved given the abrupt strengthening of the dollar and the increase in American interest rates. In addition, progress with regard to cooperation among the Nine remains slow and political change in France makes any prognosis respecting the future of the European Monetary System difficult. It was anticipated that the System would be Consolidated rapidly. It would in that event contribute more effectively to the stability of the international monetary System. It could, on the other hand, sharpen competition between Europe and the United States, between the Ecu and S.D.Rs. and between the European Monetary Fund and the International Monetary Fund.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk-Jan Dekker

In an effort to fight climate change, many cities try to boost their cycling levels. They often look towards the Dutch for guidance. However, historians have only begun to uncover how and why the Netherlands became the premier cycling country of the world. Why were Dutch cyclists so successful in their fight for a place on the road? Cycling Pathways: The Politics and Governance of Dutch Cycling Infrastructure, 1920-2020 explores the long political struggle that culminated in today’s high cycling levels. Delving into the archives, it uncovers the important role of social movements and shows in detail how these interacted with national, provincial, and urban engineers and policymakers to govern the distribution of road space and construction of cycling infrastructure. It discusses a wide range of topics, ranging from activists to engineering committees, from urban commuters to recreational cyclists and from the early 1900s to today in order to uncover the long and all-but-forgotten history of Dutch cycling governance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-298
Author(s):  
Md. Nazmul Haque ◽  
Mustafa Saroar ◽  
Md. Abdul Fattah ◽  
Syed Riad Morshed

PurposePublic-Private Partnership (PPP) is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. PPP has been an important instrument to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national level. However, the role of PPP at the subnational level is often scarcely studied. Using Khulna city of Bangladesh as a case, this paper aims to assess the role of PPP projects in the attainment of SDGs.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted in the Central Business District (CBD) of Khulna, on a total of 4.6 kilometers stretches of road medians in the CBD where landscaping was done through the PPP approach. Besides the collection of secondary data from official records, primary data were collected through site visits, field surveys and interviews of PPP project partners.FindingsThe result shows that 89 percent of the respondents (road users) were pleased with the landscaping done on the road medians. Similarly, about 86 percent of the respondents felt more comfortable and safer to use the roads. Well-maintained road medians allow road-crossing at a regular interval which reduces the chance of an accident. The private parties have installed promotional billboards on the road medians and saved BDT 10.82 million a year. The public authority saves the maintenance budget amounting to BDT 23 million a year. The project achieves a triple-win situation. Despite some limitations, this PPP project has taken Khulna a step forward to achieve SDGs.Originality/valueThe findings have policy implications as the PPP project has enhanced the resilience of Khulna by addressing the relevant SDGs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-75
Author(s):  
Salem F. Salman

All vehicles are affected by the type of the road they are moving on it.  Therefore the stability depends mainly on the amount of vibrations and steering system, which in turn depend on two main factors: the first is on the road type, which specifies the amount of vibrations arising from the movement of the wheels above it, and the second on is the type of the used suspension system, and how the parts connect with each other. As well as the damping factors, the tires type, and the used sprungs. In the current study, we will examine the effect of the road roughness on the performance coefficients (speed, displacement, and acceleration) of the joint points by using a BOGE device.


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