Open Access
Austerity and asymmetries in the fiscal policies of the Eurozone: the case of Southern Europe
(Springer, 2025-04-23) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Economía; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
In this paper, we analyse the effects of several austerity policies implemented by the Southern European countries, i.e., Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain on the economies of the European Union and the rest of the world. In particular, we simulate the reduction in one point in the government deficit-to-GDP ratio in each of these countries, through several alternative policies, both from the spending side and the revenue side. The empirical methodology is based on a computable general equilibrium model, which incorporates the backward sectoral linkages and inter-country flows generated by fiscal consolidations. Our results show that these austerity policies were generally more painful, in terms of a fall in the levels of activity and a worsening in income distribution for labour, in the scenarios of tax increases rather than in those based on spending cuts. The effects on the rest of the European Union and the rest of the world were however mostly negligible.
Open Access
On the insurance function of fiscal policy in a monetary union
(2000) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Díaz Roldán, Carmen; Economía; Ekonomia
In this paper we first review the available literature on the degree of insurance against shocks, provided by the central budget in the federal systems already existing. Next, we discuss the main points raised on the debate about the implementation of an automatic mechanism designed to cope with country-specific shocks in a monetary union, and present a specific proposal of such a mechanism.
Open Access
A general framework for the macroeconomic analysis of monetary unions
(2001) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Díaz Roldán, Carmen; Economía; Ekonomia
The objective of this paper is to develop a general framework for the macroeconomic modelling of monetary unions, which could be useful for policy analysis, as well as for teaching purposes. Our starting point will be the standard two-country Mundell-Fleming model with perfect capital mobility, extended to incorporate the supply side, and modified so that the money market is common for two countries forming a monetary union. The model is presented in two versions: for a small and a big monetary union, respectively. After solving each model, we will derive multipliers for monetary, real (i. e., demand-side), supply, and external shocks, paying a special attention to the distinction between symmetric and asymmetric shocks. A graphical analysis is also provided.
Open Access
Asymmetry in the EMS: new evidence based on non-linear forecasts
(2000) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Sosvilla Rivero, Simón; Fernández Rodríguez, Fernando; Economía; Ekonomia
In this paper we provide new evidence on the hypothesis of German leadership and asymmetric performance in the EMS, in the framework of causality tests, using daily data. Given the evidence about non-linearity in financial series, we propose applying non-linear forecasting methods based on the literature on complex dynamic systems. Our analysis covers nine countries, and the sample period runs until 30 April 1998, so including the more recent events in the EMS history. A comparison of our results with those obtained from standard linear econometric techniques leads us to conclude that inference on causality based on our non-linear predictors would be preferable to that based on the standard linear approach.
Open Access
Simulating the effects of the European singles market: a CGE analysis for Spain
(2005) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Economía; Ekonomia
In this paper we provide an empirical assessment of two of the measures proposed in the context of the European Single Market, namely, easing the provision of domestic and foreign services, and modifying the rules of public procurement, for the case of Spain. We build and simulate a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, which incorporates three particular features: (i) increasing returns to scale and a noncompetitive price rule; (ii) sectoral export demand functions; and (iii) equilibrium unemployment according to a matching function approach.
Open Access
Provision of public health services and sustainable development: evidence for 12 emerging countries
(MDPI, 2020) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Economía
In this paper, we quantify the effects of an increase in the public provision of health services in a set of 12 emerging economies (i.e., Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Russia, South Africa and Tunisia), representing 45% of world population in 2018. We use a computable general equilibrium model and simulate an increase in the real government expenditure devoted to public health services up to a 20% of total government expenditure, which is also assumed to raise labour productivity. This increase leads to expansionary effects in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and employment for all the economies under analysis and an increase in the ratio of government deficit to GDP, ranging between 3.66 points for Russia and 0.24 points for Colombia. If, in addition, direct tax rates on labour are increased to offset this result, the effects on GDP and employment become contractionary in most cases; whereas if indirect tax rates are those to be increased, small expansionary effects are again the norm with the only exception of Russia.
Open Access
A multi-country analysis of austerity policies in the European Union
(Wiley, 2021) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Economía
We analyse the global effects from the austerity policies recently implemented in the EU, by developing an extension of the GTAP general equilibrium model. The extended model incorporates a new specification of the trade balance (i.e. endogenous), the labour market (i.e. unemployment under a wage curve framework) and the public sector (i.e. split from the representative national agent, with endogenous expenditure and savings). Three alternative policies aimed to get a one percentage point reduction in the EU’s government deficit to GDP ratio are simulated, and their effects on the main macroeconomic variables of seven regions of the world economy are examined. The three policy measures led to contractionary effects on the EU’s activity levels, together with changes in income distribution, always detrimental to labour. The effects on the rest of the world, driven by changes in trade flows, were, however, mostly negligible.
Open Access
Reducing social contributions on unskilled labour as a way of fighting unemployment: an empirical evaluation for the case of Spain
(2001) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Economía; Ekonomia
In this paper we provide an empirical evaluation of the effects of a cut in social security contributions (i) for all types of labour, and (ii) only for unskilled labour, within a computable general equilibrium model simulated for the Spanish economy. The model allows firms to follow a non-competitive price rule, and incorporates an equal yield assumption, which means that the reduction in social security contributions is compensated with an increase in value-added tax rates, so that the public sector deficit is not affected. In addition, the labour market is assumed to follow a matching unemployment rule, which allows to model in a simple way any frictions present in that market.
Open Access
The role of country size and returns to scale in empirical assessments of economic integration: the case of Spain
(2000) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Economía; Ekonomia
Empirical assessments of trade policy in single-country models have addressed extensively the assumption of increasing returns to scale versus constant returns to scale, but the alternative assumption of small open economy versus large open economy has not received much attention. This paper provides an evaluation of the relevance of both assumptions (i. e., returns to scale and country size) when analyzing a process of economic integration for a medium-size economy. We conclude that the often neglected country-size assumption might be more relevant for the empirical results than returns to scale.
Open Access
Las cotizaciones sociales en España y la Unión Europea: simulando algunas posibles reformas
(FUNCAS, 2019) Bajo Rubio, Óscar; Gómez Gómez-Plana, Antonio; Economía; Ekonomia
En este trabajo se analizan los efectos de una reducción de las cotizaciones sociales a cargo de los empresarios, acompañada o no de un incremento en los tipos de los impuestos indirectos, utilizando la metodología del equilibrio general aplicado en el marco de un modelo multipaís. Los resultados muestran que un descenso de un 10 por 100 en las cotizaciones sociales se traduciría en unos incrementos moderados en los niveles del PIB y empleo de la economía española, con una reducción de la tasa de desempleo de aproximadamente medio punto. Los efectos serían cuantitativamente menores si la reducción de las cotizaciones sociales viene acompañada de un incremento en la imposición indirecta. Cuando la reducción de cotizaciones sociales se lleva a cabo en la UE-14, sus efectos sobre la economía española solamente son significativos, aunque de pequeña magnitud, en el caso de plena movilidad internacional de factores productivos.