The Need for a European Fiscal Policy

In the debate about the Stability and Growth Pact the focus is mainly on the stability part of the Pact. However, in many European economies, economic growth is a far more important issue. How can economic growth be stimulated by a coordinated European fiscal policy?      

财政分权：转移支付、税收优惠与首位城市增长

中国的财政分权所带来的财权调整使得各省区地区间的经济发展差距发生一系列变化。本文基于中国27个省区2000-2012年的数据样本,通过构建空间面板模型研究了财政分权背景下转移支付和税收优惠对于首位城市规模增长的影响。结果显示,政府的转移支付政策对于抑制首位城市规模增加,平衡区域发展缺乏效率;对于中央政府财政依赖度越高的省区,其首位城市规模规模越大;省级政府对于外围城市偏向性的转移支付政策无法有效阻止首位城市的扩张。另外,首位城市能够借助相对优惠的税收政策进一步扩大规模范围。在此基础上,本文提出了相应的财政政策以及城市发展建议。     

Foreign Ownership and Performance: Evidence from Italian Firms

This paper studies the impact of foreign ownership on a firm’s economic performance. We use a unique panel data set to test the foreign ownership premium by comparing our sample of firms based in Italy and owned by a foreign subject to a sample of purely domestic firms that, in order to have a proper counterfactual, were selected using propensity score matching. Our difference-in-differences results show the existence of a premium for the size, profitability, and financial soundness of the foreign-owned companies. The premium increases with time, is concentrated in the service sector, and disappears if the foreign investor is based in a fiscal haven.     

A new framework for fiscal policy consolidation in Europe

Current developments in Greece make clear that the rules of the European Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) were neither strict enough nor enforced strictly enough. To deal with the ongoing exit from the fiscal crisis and its related phenomena, we propose a new framework for fiscal policy consolidation in Europe. The centrepiece is a European Consolidation Pact to supplement the SGP which would supply loan guarantees in exchange for a fee and stricter budget consolidation measures. The new framework also spells out the details of an orderly government default.     

财政分权、地方政府行为与经济绩效

1997—2008年财政分权对经济增长、地区公共服务水平、市场化程度与经济波动的作用的分析表明:1994年以来的经济增长并非得益于财政分权的直接作用,但其对地区公共服务水平、市场化程度的作用是直接又显著的;同时,分权导致地方竞争,异化了地方政府行为,对宏观经济波动有间接影响。     

中国预算内收支长期稳定性和均衡性实证分析——基于1978-2003年的样本

本文以中国1978-2003年的财政预算内收支数据为样本,分析财政预算内收入、预算内支出、经济增长等变量的长期稳定性和它们之间的均衡关系,发现,虽然1998-2003年的积极财政政策加剧了数据的波动性,但预算内收入与其子项目之间、预算内支出与其分项目之间、预算内收支与经济增长之间均存在长期稳定的均衡关系,表明预算内收入结构(即预算内收入和其组成子项的比例关系)和预算内支出结构具有稳定性,财政预算内收支活动稳定而又积极地促进了经济增长。     

促进我国经济增长的最优财政支出规模研究

本文首先对公共支出与经济增长的相关理论进行了详细综述,认为财政支出规模对经济增长的影响从根本上取决于其对总产出的边际效应,并利用生产函数框架进行实证研究.研究发现,我国公共支出有利于经济增长,其边际生产力显著大于1;进一步考察发现,如果就财政支出而言,中国的最优政府支出规模应该是20.0%;但是,如果把对象扩大到公共支出领域,中国的最优政府支出规模应该是27.9%.而实际上2004年的财政支出规模为20.8%,这说明我国的财政支出规模仍然没有达到最优,我国当前增加财政对改革、发展和稳定的支持力度还应当继续.     

Fiscal policy and the recession: The case of Greece

This paper presents an analysis of the implications of Greece’s intense and long-lasting fiscal and external imbalances for the potential efficacy of a discretionary fiscal policy response to the current recession. It argues that, given recent developments in interest rate spreads and the credit markets’ increased sensitivity to risk, the interest rates applicable to the entire amount of Greece’s external debt would tend to be higher with a fiscal expansion than without one. Moreover, it deduces from a simple model that the leakages associated with increased interest payments to foreign creditors could well cancel out any positive multiplier effects generated by a fiscal expansion, resulting in a failure to stimulate growth. The implications of this finding for policy is that Greece should continue to avoid the adoption of a fiscal stimulus package, not only out of respect to its fiscal obligations as an EU member but, ultimately, because such a package would be ineffective as an economic recovery tool. While the analysis focuses on the Greek economy, it may be of relevance to other EU economies suffering from serious macroeconomic imbalances.     

Potential economic variables and actual economic policies in Europe

Ignoring for a moment the debate on whether balanced budget rules are a sensible idea from a macroeconomic point of view, there remains a major problem with tying one’s fiscal policy to econometric estimates of potential variables: their notorious unreliability. With every one of its biannual economic forecasts, the EC provides revised estimates of structural parameters that are crucial components of its macroeconometric models and, by extension, its economic policy advice. This article shows that the EC’s econometric estimates of potential growth variables in Europe have been subject to massive revisions since the financial crisis.     

The cyclically adjusted budget balance in EU fiscal policymaking

The cyclically adjusted budget balance (CAB) plays a key role in the EU fiscal surveillance framework. It started off in a supporting role in the shadow of the headline deficit and, before long, turned into the linchpin of the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact. The steep ascent was driven by high expectations which, with the passing of time, were only partly met. The everyday practice of the EU fiscal surveillance rapidly revealed a number of caveats of the CAB which, at times, hampered the effectiveness of fiscal surveillance. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the changing fortunes of the CAB in the EU fiscal surveillance framework. It portrays its main shortcomings and the way they are dealt with in practice.     

The "New" Stability and Growth Pact: More Flexible,Less Stupid?

The doubts and criticisms with regard to the fiscal discipline imposed by the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) have been many and varied, and the SGP was revised as a result. The following paper evaluates the changes contained in the "new" SGP by considering the properties for ideal fiscal rules put forward by Kopits and Symansky. The analysis points towards a clear increase in flexibility together with the probable emergence of new enforcement problems. In this context, the need for new improvements within the European framework for the definition and implementation of national fiscal policies is discussed.     

Germany’s Post- Wirtschaftswunder Struggle

For many years after World War II, Germany’s economic output grew very rapidly—a period commonly referred to as the “Wirtschaftswunder,” or economic miracle. It came to an end in the 1970s. This paper addresses three questions: Why did growth decline after the 1970s? Why did Germany take so long to embark on reforms? What is the economic outlook today? It argues that two factors were responsible for falling growth: the end of the post-World War II economic catch-up and a failure to reform the economy in response to shocks. Because of Germany’s political system, economic reforms require broad popular support. However, this support changes constantly due to frequent elections, which makes it difficult for governments to push through ambitious reforms that typically have payoffs stretching beyond electoral cycles. Nonetheless, the depth of the 2001-05 economic downturn and Germany’s comparatively poor economic growth performance in Europe have by now forged a general agreement on the need for change. The European Union, notably with its policies that combat state aid and that call for sound fiscal positions, has played an important role in forging this agreement. Accordingly, Germany’s economic outlook has by now improved noticeably, although significant challenges remain.     

Fiscal incentives and local tax competition: Evidence from China

This paper explores how fiscal incentives affect capital tax decisions by local governments in the Chinese context. We develop a model in which local governments, facing different fiscal incentives, compete for mobile capital over corporate taxes. The key prediction of the model, borne out in data from Chinese cities over the years 2004–13, is that an increase in the local corporate income tax-sharing ratio, proxying local fiscal incentives, makes city governments’ horizontal tax reactions stronger. Our results contribute to the fiscal federalism literature by providing evidence in support of the argument that fiscal incentives faced by local governments significantly shape their policy choices. Additionally, we provide explicit evidence on local tax competition within provinces in China, which has long been regarded as one of the driving forces of China's rapid economic growth.     

经济欠发达地区财政收入增长影响因素研究——基于山东菏泽的样本分析

生财、聚财、用财,其中生财是根本,聚财是关键。1994年分税制改革以来,我国财政实力得到了极大增强。但是地方财政困难问题日益突出,特别是在经济欠发达地区,地方财政困难就更加显著。本文以欠发达地区财政收入增长影响因素作为研究对象,采用理论分析与实证分析相结合的方法,选取样本地区山东省菏泽市1994-2009年的GDP以及三次产业增加值等数据,采用弹性分析、相关性分析及自向量回归模型分析等方法进行分析。通过对样本的分析,本文认为经济欠发达地区财政收入增长要遵循可持续增长的道路。提出要加强服务意识,培植适合本地发展的骨干财源以及深化财税体制改革等具体措施。     

The optimum currency area theory and the EMU

The eurozone crisis has revealed certain shortcomings of the EMU, such as its vulnerability to asymmetric shocks and its inability to act as predicted by the theory of optimum currency areas. Although the share of intra-EU trade has increased since the introduction of the euro, dissimilarities in economic structure combined with high degrees of industrial specialisation have increased the EMU’s vulnerability to asymmetric shocks. Moreover, the lack of labour mobility or a transfer payment system limits the EMU’s crisis adjustment capabilities. However, most of the implemented and proposed stabilisation measures seek to remedy this vulnerability by promoting economic integration, further fiscal discipline and debt redemption.     

The European Redemption Pact: Implementation and macroeconomic effects

One possible solution to the sovereign debt crisis is the European Redemption Pact (ERP) proposed by the German Council of Economic Experts. The ERP provides sustainable financing conditions for participating sovereigns to facilitate bringing public debt ratios below the reference value of 60% within the next 20 to 25 years. In this paper, we describe one possible way of implementing the ERP and analyse the fiscal effects of participating in the ERP. The macroeconomic impact of the proposal is illustrated with the multi-country model NiGEM.     

China and Its Dollar Exchange Rate: A Worldwide Stabilising Influence?1

China is criticised for keeping its dollar exchange rate fairly stable when it has a large trade (saving) surplus. This criticism is misplaced in two ways. First, no predictable link exists between the exchange rate and the trade balance of an international creditor economy. Second, since 1995, the stable yuan/dollar rate has anchored China’s price level and facilitated counter cyclical fiscal policies that have smoothed its high real GDP growth at a remarkable 9 to 11 per cent per year. With its now greater GDP, China displaces Japan as the largest economy in East Asia – but with a much stronger stabilising influence on East Asian neighbours from its higher economic growth and more stable dollar exchange rate. Now, an ever larger China is an essential stabiliser for the world economy – as exemplified by its prompt and effective fiscal response to the global credit crunch of 2008–09. However, cumulating financial distortions – in China and the United States – threaten to undermine China’s growth and its stabilising influence on the rest of the world.     

基于调整和改善国民收入分配格局的政府收支研究

政府收入规模不仅体现了政府的财政能力,而且反映着国民收入分配基本格局及政府在其中的地位。纵观我国20世纪90年代以来,政府财政收入持续快速增长的同时,劳动者收入在国民收入中占比持续下降的事实,要实现"让劳动者分享经济发展成果"的目标,有必要适度控制政府收入规模。政府支出结构反映着政府活动的范围和方向。我国政府职能向公共服务型转变,必然要求政府支出内容上逐步减少经济建设支出,让市场在资源配置方面更好发挥作用;逐步控制和适度削减政府行政性开支,建设一个节俭高效的政府组织;逐步增加民生开支和社会福利开支,不断提高民生福祉。     

中国税收可持续增长问题研究

本文通过总结1994-2010年中国税收收入增长的基本特征,从经济税源基础、财税体制制度、税收征管机制三个方面剖析了中国税收持续快速增长的基本原因;文章进而分析"十二五"时期中国税收可持续增长面临的主要挑战:经济税源增长趋缓、税制建设不完全适应经济社会发展、财政体制和管理制度改革相对滞后以及征收管理能力的瓶颈制约等;最后提出建议:实行有减有增、总体减负的结构性税制改革,推动经济持续增长和发展方式转变,以壮大税收可持续增长必须的税源基础;推进税费改革、统一规范政府预算、深化分税制体制改革、优化财政支出结构,以巩固税收可持续增长的财税体制;推进全社会依法治税、实施政府综合治税、提升税收征管能力,以强化税收可持续增长的征管机制等。     

分税制背景下央地财政分配关系的“隐性博弈”问题分析

剖析现阶段蔓延于我国央地财政关系实际运行中的"隐性博弈"现象:相对于形式规范、互动行为模式稳定和程序正常的博弈而言,利益主体以非规范、非程序和模糊性等策略追求实现自身利益诉求的一种特殊形式进行的博弈。文章基于制度——行为分析框架解释了这一博弈现象的生成机制,提出在特定的制度情境下治理这种隐性博弈,应该在对地方利益诉求"同情地理解"基础上进一步完善分税制制度,充分重视发挥非正式规则体系的作用。