This paper analyzes the impact of the global crisis on six South-Eastern European countries. The main objective is to compare macro-financial conditions and policies in the run-up to the crisis as well as to compare the policy responses to it, so as to highlight, inter alia, possible country-specific constraints. While sharing a common pre-crisis pattern of strong capital inflows and robust growth, a key difference in the conduct of macroeconomicpolicies is that some countries adopted expansionary (and procyclical) fiscal policies. These moves exacerbated external vulnerabilities and compromised the ability to discretionarily use the fiscal instrument in acountercyclical fashion.

The Euro and Economic Stability assesses the euro area's merits as a shelter and the merits of euro assets as a safe haven and reviews the case for rapid euro adoption from a post-crisis view. Policymakers and economists provide relevant lessons from euro area divergences for future euro area members and, more generally, from the financial crisis, while banking representatives discuss post-crisis business models of banks in the area. Last but not least, a theoretical introductory chapter fills the gap between mainstream macroeconomic modelling and real-world decision-making. The prime audience for this invaluable book will be economists and other experts in the fields of economic policy and European integration from central, commercial and investment banks, governments, international organizations, universities and research institutes. The book is also aimed at readers with a particular interest in the contributions' special regional focus: Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.

ÔThe emergence of the BRICs and of China in particular has played an important if underappreciated role to the competitive difficulties of Greece, Portugal and other Southern European countries. The contributors to this volume warn that similar challenges now confront the economies of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, many of which compete head to head with China in international markets. More reassuringly, the authors also specify an agenda for structural adjustment, product upgrading and deeper integration with Western Europe that offers hope for meeting the China challenge.Õ Ð Barry Eichengreen, University of California, Berkeley, US This important book discusses European integration in a global economic setting, investigating the impact of China and Russia as emerging global players in the catching-up process in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. The expert contributors focus on global imbalances and accompanying policy challenges, competitiveness and trade, the sustainability of current growth strategies, and banking and financial stability in the light of the global economic and financial crisis. They provide a multi-disciplinary assessment, combining the views of high-ranking central bankers, policymakers, commercial bankers and academics, and demonstrate that a broad view of European economic integration is crucial given that spillovers and contagion were major issues of the recent economic crisis. This book will prove an illuminating read for academics, researchers, students and policymakers with an interest in international economics, money, finance and banking and European studies.

During the past few years all the regions of Europe have suffered from the effects of the World Financial Crisis. Most notably in Eastern Europe, countries have adopted different approaches to combat the crisis and the impact has been varying – politically, economically and socially. This book gives an overview of chosen countries and their situation before and during the crisis, providing a detailed view of the different regions during this difficult period. It also looks at their current status and the individual ways in which they have attempted to stimulate recovery.