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This paper examines the influence of the capital flows on the real exchange rate of the Romanian leu against euro. Many studies which are analysing the fundamental determinants of the exchange rate of the leu, show that the appreciation of the currency, before the financial crises from the last years, was due to the real convergence of the Romanian economy. In our study we have showed that the capital account contributed to the appreciation of the leu, rather than the influence of the Harrod-Balassa-Samuelson effect. We found a long-run relationship among the real exchange rate, foreign direct investments and workers remittances from abroad

The global financial and economic crisis has revealed that the missing pillar of financial stability architecture was the macroprudential approach of the financial supervision and designing of the prudential policy is considered one of the key elements of the post-crisis reforms. The micro-and macro-prudential regulation framework is currently going through a sustained process of revision, both at EU level and at national level. With the new financial supervisory architecture, due to the recent crisis, the area of macro-prudential instruments became much wider. The purpose of our article is to highlight the challenges and perspectives respectively, regarding the implementation of the macroprudential regulatory tools at European level, with reference to the national level.

In this paper we aim to study the effects of interest spending on public debt on the quality of a country’s public finances, in Romania and other developed and developing countries. Two different approaches have been taken into consideration. On the one hand, we showed that, when public indebtedness fails to promote economic growth and no compensatory measures are taken by governments, as budgetary expenditures raise and no additional ordinary revenue are available, government budget balances deteriorate and public debt further accumulates. On the other hand, it resulted that, when compensatory consolidation measures are undertaken in order to keep budget deficits and public debt under control, taxes are raised or public expenditures are reduced. As public capital expenditure is most often sacrificed, this alters the quality of public spending, due to the lower share of growth-enhancing expenditures.

Microfinance in general and the microcredit especially has a major role in the economic growth of a country and an important social impact, supporting the social inclusion. Moreover, its role becomes more vital, if we take into account the major negative effects of the recent financial crisis, because it can significantly contribute to the creation of new jobs and new added-value generating activities. Such considerations make the development of the microfinance sector to be a priority on the working agenda of the European decision makers. On this background our research aims at underlining and discusses the recent evolutions but also the major characteristics of the European microfinance landscape. Through its content, our research seeks to highlight the vital necessity for supporting the development of the microfinance sector in the EU member countries for the recovery of the national economies

The European integration process has a direct impact on all the components of the macroeconomic environment. The existence of a well functioning and sound banking sector becomes of great importance for the integration process as the European Union economy is financed especially through this channel. The banking sectors of the new EU member countries have undergone through tremendous changes in the last decade, both from an ownership and also from a business strategy point of view, these changes having a direct impact on their financial soundness. Thus, the aim of our research is to empirically examine the financial soundness of the banks operating in Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Romania, three EU members countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE-3). In order to achieve this we have employed a combine quantitative analysis based on the CAMELS framework (namely Capital Adequacy, Asset quality, Management soundness, Earnings, Liquidity, Sensitivity to market risk) and the Z-score, thus being able to underline simultaneously the financial soundness and the possibility of default for the banks from our sample. The analysed period is 2004-2011 providing us with an evaluation of the impact that the EU ascension and also the global financial crisis had on the financial soundness of the analysed banks. Our sample is composed from 40 commercial banks that operate in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania, that overall own over 75% of the total banking assets, making this study one of the most comprehensive undertaken to this date. The data that we have employed in our research is obtained from the Bureau Van Dijk Bankscope database and the annual financial statements of the banks from our sample. The paper through its original dual approach contributes to the academic debate by providing not only insight into the financial soundness of the banks operating in the CEE-3 countries but also underling their financial strength through the usage of the Z-score. Thus, the topic of the paper is focused on a subject of great importance for the European integration process.

The objective of our study is to identify the key macroeconomic factors with impact on the dynamics of non-performing bank loans and to empirically assess their contribution in 11 Central and Eastern European countries (namely Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia), over the period 2000–2013. Our research is conducted on data from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Eurostat databases, using panel data estimation techniques. The results of our study show that, among the considered macroeconomic variables, the GDP growth rate, the unemployment rate and the public debt have a significant impact on the ratio of non-performing bank loans in all countries included in our analysis. Our chapter thus underlines that the health of a country’s macroeconomic environment is of great importance for bank loans quality and, in general, for ensuring the soundness and stability of the banking sector in the selected Central and Eastern European countries. The added value of our study arises from the inclusion in the analysis of public finance variables, especially of public debt which has proved to have crucial relevance for the financial stability in the context of the recent economic and financial crisis.

Recent international financial crisis has highlighted the crucial importance of financial stability and showed clearly that ensuring price stability as an objective of monetary policy is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to ensure financial stability. In this context, there have been intensified debate among researchers and policy makers on how monetary policy can bring a major contribution to financial stability and even on the award of a clear mandate for financial stability. Our paper aims to highlight the challenges that arise for central banks and their monetary policy when they try to ensure the financial stability. Also, our study highlights the vital need for price stability on medium to long term to remain the primary objective of the monetary policy and that the financial stability to be the primary responsibility of macro-prudential policies that can prevent and limit the buildup of vulnerabilities in the financial system.

In the last two decades the usage of innovative financial instruments has increased in the European banking sector. Traditional instruments like loans sales have been complemented by new ones like the credit derivatives instruments. In this context, the aim of our research is to test if and how the usage of the credit derivatives instruments and the loans sales operations can be influenced by a series of banks characteristics. In order to achieve this we have used a multiple linear regression analysis, where the independent variables were represented by a series of banks characteristics, like banks size, their profitability or capitalisation ratio and the dependent variables were represented by the estimations made regarding the major European banks presence on credit derivatives and loans sales markets. The sample used was comprised from the major 20 banking groups located in the European Union and the analysed period was 2007-2009. The obtained results suggest that larger banks, well capitalised and strongly geographically diversified tend to be the most active in credit derivatives instruments operations, while loans sales operations tend to be dominated by the banks well diversified, highly capitalise and that have very good loaning opportunities.

In recent years, most countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Member States of the EU, that we selected for the analysis (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania) have recorded a significant expansion of lending in foreign currency, which was one of the major factors of the accelerated growth of loans to economy. Such developments have led to an increase of indebtedness in foreign currency of the non-financial private sector, especially of the households and of the accumulation of major macroeconomics and financial imbalances. The issue of lending in foreign currency, the determinants of increasing the share of loans in foreign currency and the risks generated at the level of financial stability are the subject of numerous studies, including: Basso, Calvo-Gonzales and Jurgilas (2007); Rosenberg and Tirpak (2008); Csajbók-Andras et al. (2010); Zettelmeyer, Nagy and Jeffrey (2010). Another significant issue addressed in the specialized literature regarding foreign currency loans refers to the role of monetary policy in limiting growth of these loans. Thus, in addition to those noted studies we remark other studies, such as: Kiss et al. (2006); Sirtaine and Skamnelos (2007); Hilbers et al. (2006); Brzoza-Brzezina et al. (2010). Our paper complements the specialized literature on the approached subject, in particular, by highlighting and discussing current issues of high interest for policymakers, both at national and European level regarding lending in foreign currency. The extremely negative implications of lending in foreign currency on financial stability in most countries under review, outlined clearly in the context of the current crisis, determined the focus of the policymakers concern, both at European and national level, regarding the issue of foreign currency loans, which became one of the most discussed issues on the agenda of the monetary-financial authorities. The aim of our research is to comparatively underline, based on the example of the panel countries, a few stylized facts about lending in foreign currency, and also the main factors which determined the growing share of loans in foreign currency, the risks for financial stability generated by the loans denominated in foreign currencies and the challenges that arise for the monetary-financial authorities, both at national and European level, in the current context and in the post crisis period. The methodology used in our paper starts with an extensive literature review in order to underline the importance of the research theme approached. The analysis is based on information and statistical data provided mainly by the official statistics of the ECB, IMF, EBRD, Raiffeisen Research, different reports, studies and researches. Through the content of our research we want to underline the crucial importance of a rigorous monitoring of the foreign lending activities undertaken by the central banks and the supervisory authorities in order to limit the risks and to ensure the financial stability at EU level.

Over the past few decades, many financial innovations have ensured a more efficient allocation of resources, being thus considered an engine of economic growth, but at the same time, their rapid development complicated the environment in which central bank implements its policies. In this context, the aim of our research is to analyse the impact of financial innovation on the monetary transmission mechanism, highlighting how financial innovation affects these mechanisms both by altering the channels through which monetary policy operates and by changing the overall impact of monetary policy decisions. The results of our paper underline the fact that an appropriate knowledge of the mechanisms through which monetary policy affects the economy, especially in times of stress, is of crucial importance in order for the central bank to stabilise the economy and promote long-term economic growth. Hospitality industry development quidelines that concern the implementation of clean technologies, diversification of services and customer loyalty are influenced by the same global economic condition. Therefore, development and expansion plans of large global hotel groups are taken, mostly on short and medium time horizon.

Taking into consideration the necessity of stabilising the inflation rate at a level consistent with an economic policy strategy that assumes Romania will join the euro-zone at the earliest date possible the paper aims to underline the main aspects related to the implementation of the inflation targeting strategy in Romania by realising a comparatively analysis with the experience of other former socialist countries, like the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, which have successfully implemented this strategy, with good results in the disinflation process. The results of our paper highlight that the medium-term perspective of the monetary policy based on a direct inflation target lead to the enhancement of the flexibility of Romanian monetary policy in response to unexpected events and supported the preservation of low inflationary expectations, thus building up favourable foundations for high economic growth, despite the fact that the inflation rate hasn’t been yet stabilised at a low level in order to fulfil the inflation criterion, which is one of the conditions for euro-zone membership, this still representing a challenge for the Romanian authorities.

The process of transmitting monetary policy impulses to the real economy presents o series of particularities from one country to another, mainly because of the diversity of financial systems. Thereby, the functionality of various monetary policy transmission channels is significantly influenced by the specific features of each country's financial system. The objective of this paper is to highlight some of the key features of the monetary policy transmission mechanism in Romania, taking into consideration the dominant role of the banking sector in the national financial system.

On the background of the current international financial crisis, the central banks of major developed countries took unprecedented action aimed at restoring the confidence in financial systems and at ensuring the normal functioning of the monetary policy transmission mechanism on the real economy. This paper aims to highlight the reactions of these central banks during the current crisis, especially analyzing the implementation of exceptional monetary policy measures aimed at correcting financial markets failures and at supporting the flows of credit to the real economy.

The European integration process has had a great impact on the macroeconomic environment of the new member states, some effects being more visible than other. In this context it becomes interesting to analyse if the EU ascension has triggered an increase of the banks efficiency from a series of CEE countries (two from the first wave and one from the second wave of EU expansion). The analysed period is between 2003 and 2010, covering the first years after the EU ascension of these countries. In order to estimate the efficiency of the banks from our sample we have used a non-parametric technique, namely the Data Envelopment Analysis. The overall results are suggesting that there is a slight increase of the banks operating in these countries estimated efficiency between 2007 and 2010.

The aim of the present paper is to underline the international financial crisis implications on the monetary policy transmission mechanism at the European level. Our study illustrates the main features of the pass-through process in the light of recent financial tensions and the general impact of Eurosystem’s non-standard measures on the functioning of monetary transmission channels. Our results outline that pass-through process remained operational during the crisis and that unconventional measures ensured a proper functioning of transmission of monetary policy impulses to real economy. The extent to which this mechanism has been irreversibly damaged by the credit crunch is premature to determine and thus it would be misleading to draw definitive conclusions, especially when some non-standard measures are still in place and financial tensions persist.

In the last decades, financial innovation has been in the fore front of all the major changes which have affected the financial system, both at national and international level. Thus, the research of this subject has become a major field of research, its importance growing since the start of the current financial and economic crisis. In this context, the aim of this paper is to underline the impact of financial innovation on the stability and efficiency of the financial system while also taking into account the implications over the systemic stability of an economy. The results of our study highlight the need for a cautionary approach regarding the usage of financial innovations, as new financial instruments used excessively or in an inappropriate meaner, without proper regulations and supervision, can lead to financial instability and the accumulation of major systemic risks.

SME sector has an important role in national economies through its significant contribution to the creation of GDP and to increasing labour employment. The current crisis has seriously affected a substantial part of the SME sector in Romania, as in other world countries. Such an assessment can be explained by the fact that unlike large firms, SMEs are generally more vulnerable in times of crisis for several reasons, among which we mention: they can not reduce their size because they are already small, individually they are less diversified in terms of economic activities, have a weaker financial structure, they depend significantly on credit, have a lower credit rating, have fewer financing options due to limited access to financial markets. This paper aims to highlight the main effects of the current crisis on SMEs sector in Romania, the main problems it faces, and some anti-crisis measures taken by national authorities and some international institutions.

The major negative implications of the recent financial crisis, including those of the sovereign debt crisis, especially in the case of the euro zone, on the financial integration process have determined the adoption at the EU level of some significant measures, without precedent, aimed at enhancing the resilience of the European financial system and the consolidation of the financial stability. In this context, our research aims to underline on the one hand, some major implications of the international financial crisis on the financial integration and intermediation process, the adopted measures and on the other hand the debate regarding the content of the main proposals for the creation of the new institutional framework represented by the European Banking Union.

Bank loans are a vital resource for SMEs financing because of the reducedpossibilities of these firms to find alternative sources of financing. In the context of the currentcrisis, the access to loans for SMEs has deteriorated significantly due to lower availability of bankloans, that can hamper the exit from the crisis of these firms and the relaunch of the nationaleconomies. Moreover, the adoption of the new banking regulations by Basel III Accord raisesconcerns about their possible negative impact on bank financing of SMEs. In this context, our paperaims to highlight a few features of bank financing of SMEs in EU member states and to bring intoquestion the impact of new banking regulations on loans flow to SMEs.