The thesis deals with fiscal policy and fiscal rules. The thesis investigates the cause and effect of the deficit bias and rules, which are designed to reduce it. Specifically, the cases of constitutional swiss expenditure debt brake, US deficit brake from the 1980s and also the recently reformed german fiscal rule are discussed.

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo econométrico da política fiscal brasileira com o objetivo de avaliar, no período que se estende de 2001 a 2010 utilizando dados mensais, como os diferentes componentes da política fiscal respondem à dinâmica do produto. Primeiramente é feito a identificação e a análise dos componentes da política: impulso fiscal e regra fiscal seguindo a orientação de distintas metodologias (OCDE, FMI, método Holandês e filtro de Kalman). Dessa forma, é possível avaliar se a política é oportuna e ágil, observar qual o tamanho do impacto da resposta de cada componente a choques negativos no produto e, por fim, comparar os resultados fiscais com os encontrados para a política monetária. Para tanto, foi utilizado a técnica da autorregressão vetorial. Os resultados das estimações indicam que a regra fiscal apresenta-se de forma oportuna e reage mais rapidamente, em termos gerais, à redução do hiato quando comparados aos juros e ao impulso fiscal. Em relação ao impulso fiscal os resultados das estimações não foram tão homogêneos. A política monetária apresenta resultados levemente díspares quando se trata da velocidade da adoção de medidas contracíclicas. A decomposição da política fiscal via filtro de Kalman pareceu ser a mais indicada. / This article presents an econometric study of the Brazilian fiscal policy with the objective of evaluating, in the period extending from 2001 to 2010, using monthly data, how the different components of fiscal policy respond to the dynamics of the product. Firstly, the identification and analysis of the components of the policy are made: fiscal impulse and fiscal rule following the guidance of different methodologies (OECD, IMF, Dutch method and Kalman filter). Thus, it is possible to assess whether the policy is timely and responsive, to observe how big the impact of each component of the response to negative shocks is in the product and, lastly, compare the fiscal results with the results also found for monetary policy. For this purpose it used the technique of vector autoregression. The estimation results indicate that the fiscal rule is presented in a timely manner and react more quickly, in general terms, to reduce the gap when compared to interest rates and fiscal stimulus. In relation to fiscal impulse the estimation results were not as homogeneous. Monetary policy has slightly differing results when it comes to the speed of adoption of countercyclical measures. The analysis of fiscal police via the Kalman filter seems to be most suitable.

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo econométrico da política fiscal brasileira com o objetivo de avaliar, no período que se estende de 2001 a 2010 utilizando dados mensais, como os diferentes componentes da política fiscal respondem à dinâmica do produto. Primeiramente é feito a identificação e a análise dos componentes da política: impulso fiscal e regra fiscal seguindo a orientação de distintas metodologias (OCDE, FMI, método Holandês e filtro de Kalman). Dessa forma, é possível avaliar se a política é oportuna e ágil, observar qual o tamanho do impacto da resposta de cada componente a choques negativos no produto e, por fim, comparar os resultados fiscais com os encontrados para a política monetária. Para tanto, foi utilizado a técnica da autorregressão vetorial. Os resultados das estimações indicam que a regra fiscal apresenta-se de forma oportuna e reage mais rapidamente, em termos gerais, à redução do hiato quando comparados aos juros e ao impulso fiscal. Em relação ao impulso fiscal os resultados das estimações não foram tão homogêneos. A política monetária apresenta resultados levemente díspares quando se trata da velocidade da adoção de medidas contracíclicas. A decomposição da política fiscal via filtro de Kalman pareceu ser a mais indicada. / This article presents an econometric study of the Brazilian fiscal policy with the objective of evaluating, in the period extending from 2001 to 2010, using monthly data, how the different components of fiscal policy respond to the dynamics of the product. Firstly, the identification and analysis of the components of the policy are made: fiscal impulse and fiscal rule following the guidance of different methodologies (OECD, IMF, Dutch method and Kalman filter). Thus, it is possible to assess whether the policy is timely and responsive, to observe how big the impact of each component of the response to negative shocks is in the product and, lastly, compare the fiscal results with the results also found for monetary policy. For this purpose it used the technique of vector autoregression. The estimation results indicate that the fiscal rule is presented in a timely manner and react more quickly, in general terms, to reduce the gap when compared to interest rates and fiscal stimulus. In relation to fiscal impulse the estimation results were not as homogeneous. Monetary policy has slightly differing results when it comes to the speed of adoption of countercyclical measures. The analysis of fiscal police via the Kalman filter seems to be most suitable.

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo econométrico da política fiscal brasileira com o objetivo de avaliar, no período que se estende de 2001 a 2010 utilizando dados mensais, como os diferentes componentes da política fiscal respondem à dinâmica do produto. Primeiramente é feito a identificação e a análise dos componentes da política: impulso fiscal e regra fiscal seguindo a orientação de distintas metodologias (OCDE, FMI, método Holandês e filtro de Kalman). Dessa forma, é possível avaliar se a política é oportuna e ágil, observar qual o tamanho do impacto da resposta de cada componente a choques negativos no produto e, por fim, comparar os resultados fiscais com os encontrados para a política monetária. Para tanto, foi utilizado a técnica da autorregressão vetorial. Os resultados das estimações indicam que a regra fiscal apresenta-se de forma oportuna e reage mais rapidamente, em termos gerais, à redução do hiato quando comparados aos juros e ao impulso fiscal. Em relação ao impulso fiscal os resultados das estimações não foram tão homogêneos. A política monetária apresenta resultados levemente díspares quando se trata da velocidade da adoção de medidas contracíclicas. A decomposição da política fiscal via filtro de Kalman pareceu ser a mais indicada. / This article presents an econometric study of the Brazilian fiscal policy with the objective of evaluating, in the period extending from 2001 to 2010, using monthly data, how the different components of fiscal policy respond to the dynamics of the product. Firstly, the identification and analysis of the components of the policy are made: fiscal impulse and fiscal rule following the guidance of different methodologies (OECD, IMF, Dutch method and Kalman filter). Thus, it is possible to assess whether the policy is timely and responsive, to observe how big the impact of each component of the response to negative shocks is in the product and, lastly, compare the fiscal results with the results also found for monetary policy. For this purpose it used the technique of vector autoregression. The estimation results indicate that the fiscal rule is presented in a timely manner and react more quickly, in general terms, to reduce the gap when compared to interest rates and fiscal stimulus. In relation to fiscal impulse the estimation results were not as homogeneous. Monetary policy has slightly differing results when it comes to the speed of adoption of countercyclical measures. The analysis of fiscal police via the Kalman filter seems to be most suitable.

The task was to show on an example of Slovakia, which has accepted the euro, in comparison with V4 countries, which have kept their own currencies, that common currency does not necessarily bring only negatives. Current EMU problems don't come from the nature of euro but the key problem comes from the public finance and irresponsibility of politicians. On the base of this knowledge, the work suggests an alternative approach to solve debt crisis on the example of Greece, meaning a fiscal rent of Greek touristic islands. The work also deals with the vision of EMU in future to avoid this kind of problems and to change the overall approach to fiscal policy. I see a solution in monetary-fiscal union, which is based on the new fiscal rule derived from Okun's law and also on common supervision institution over national government budgets with the right to arbitrarily intervene in case of need.

Submitted by Eduardo Pavinato Olimpio (epolimpio@gmail.com) on 2015-02-11T11:13:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Eduardo_Pavinato_Olimpio_v2.pdf: 909989 bytes, checksum: 77a7740bfe398788f777f020fb78522c (MD5) / Rejected by Renata de Souza Nascimento (renata.souza@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Eduardo, Seu trabalho foi rejeitado, pois você deve aguardar o recebimento da ficha catalográfica, que será enviada pela biblioteca. Encaminhei um e-mail com divergências na formatação para que você corrija e quando você receber a ficha catalográfica, deverá fazer a nova submissão de seu trabalho. Peço verificar todo o conteúdo, pois constam páginas em branco (ex: página 28, 48, 58...) com isso você deve corrigir também o seu sumário. Att Renata. on 2015-02-11T15:41:54Z (GMT) / Submitted by Eduardo Pavinato Olimpio (epolimpio@gmail.com) on 2015-02-12T22:39:58Z No. of bitstreams: 2 teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Renata de Souza Nascimento (renata.souza@fgv.br) on 2015-02-12T22:49:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-13T12:34:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) teseconsolidada.pdf: 888609 bytes, checksum: 707b8184fbf6bf378198a5f1c1d3f9ab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-12 / Neste trabalho apresentamos um modelo DSGE de pequena escala com economia fechada para estudar os efeitos de um aumento do crédito subsidiado e de uma política fiscal expansionista sobre as decisões de política monetária. O modelo, construído com base na literatura nacional e internacional, é constituído por uma economia fechada, com formação de hábito dos consumidores, firmas atuando em um mercado de competição monopolística (NEISS; NELSON, 2003) e rigidez de preços a la Calvo (CHRISTIANO; EICHENBAUM; EVANS, 2005). O governo é inserido no modelo através da autoridade monetária, que segue a Regra de Taylor definida por Vasconcelos e Divino (2012), e através da autoridade fiscal, que segue uma meta de superávit primário como em Castro et al. (2011). Por fim, o volume de investimento financiado por crédito subsidiado e a taxa deste crédito são definidos exogenamente pela autoridade fiscal, afetando sua restrição orçamentária. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a política fiscal expansionista é mais importante que o aumento do subsídio ao crédito para o aumento da taxa de juros real neutra. Estes efeitos, porém, explicam pouco da variância das variáveis macroeconômicas quando comparados aos choques de demanda e de produtividade. Além disso, o modelo mostra evidências de um caráter inflacionário recente da política monetária no Brasil. / In this work we present a small-scale DSGE model with closed economy in order to study the monetary effects caused by an increase of the subsidized credit and an expansionary fiscal policy. The model is developed over several works on the Brazilian and international literature is based on a simple model of a closed economy with households consumption habit formation and firms acting in a monopolistic competitive maket (NEISS; NELSON, 2003) and Calvo price rigidities (CHRISTIANO; EICHENBAUM; EVANS, 2005). The government is inserted through a monetary rule defined by Vasconcelos e Divino (2012) and through the fiscal authority via a primary surplus rule as in Castro et al. (2011). Finally, the amount of investment financed with subsidized credit and its interest are exogenously defined by the fiscal authority, affecting its budget constraint. Our results suggest that an expansionary political is more important than the increase of the credit subsidy in their effects on the neutral real interest rate. However, these effects have less relevance on the variance of the macroeconomic variables when compared to the effects of a demand or technology shocks. Moreover, the model evidences the inflacionary character of the recent monetary policy in Brazil.

This thesis deals with short-term relationship between fiscal policy and the real economy. Thesis is divided into three thematic units. In the first part through the analysis of studies examining the size of fiscal multipliers concludes, that depending on the assumptions and selected time period is the size of the multipliers greater in economic recessions, at zero interest rates of central banks or bigger taciturnity of the economy. The multipliers for the Czech Republic are low and did not exceed the value of one. The thesis also analyzes the development of public finances in the years 1997 - 2013 and identifies as their basic problem the structural nature of deficits. As a possible tool to improve the inclination of public finance to the budget deficits are identified fiscal rules limiting public spending. This rule is fully compatible with the Stability and Growth Pact and meets the basic requirements - the clarity and flexibility.

Submitted by Vilma da Conceição Pinto (vconceicaopinto@gmail.com) on 2018-04-18T00:24:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Estrutural_FinalVilmaPinto.pdf: 1714684 bytes, checksum: 6c5a7c62252a32582647d4df1a7d1c16 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by GILSON ROCHA MIRANDA (gilson.miranda@fgv.br) on 2018-04-25T14:44:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Estrutural_FinalVilmaPinto.pdf: 1714684 bytes, checksum: 6c5a7c62252a32582647d4df1a7d1c16 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-08T14:28:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Estrutural_FinalVilmaPinto.pdf: 1714684 bytes, checksum: 6c5a7c62252a32582647d4df1a7d1c16 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-26 / The objective of this work is to estimate the primary structural fiscal budget for Brazil, adapting the methodology proposed by the Economic Policy Secretariat (SPE), in order to validate if the indicator is robust enough to be able to make a fiscal rule (the structural fiscal primary goal). The adaptations aim to bring greater transparency to the calculation of the structural fiscal budget indicator, in addition to explaining a methodological problem that may weaken the indicator. Thus, this study found that some fiscal data, necessary for the decomposition of revenues into clusters, did not come from public sources of information, and it is necessary to adapt the distribution of revenues to calculate the elasticities. It was also found that depending on the potential product methodology used to calculate the indicator, it can completely change its result, generating very different interpretations. Therefore, the study warns of the urgent need for a more robust potential product methodology, as well as more transparent information, so that the debate about the possibility of having a fiscal rule aimed at the structural fiscal result indicator is initiated. / O objetivo deste trabalho é estimar o resultado primário fiscal estrutural para o Brasil, adaptando a metodologia proposta pela Secretaria de Política Econômica do Ministério da Fazenda do Brasil (MF/SPE), visando validar se o indicador é robusto ao ponto de ser capaz de se tornar uma regra fiscal (meta de resultado estrutural). As adaptações tem por objetivo trazer maior transparência para o cálculo do indicador de resultado fiscal estrutural, além de explicitar um problema metodológico que pode fragilizar o indicador. Assim, este trabalho constatou que alguns dados fiscais, necessários para decomposição das receitas em grupamentos, não vinham de fontes públicas de informação, sendo necessário a adaptação da distribuição das receitas para cálculo das elasticidades. Foi constatado também que a depender da metodologia de produto potencial utilizado para cálculo do indicador, este pode mudar completamente seu resultado, gerando interpretações muito distintas. Por isso, o estudo alerta para a urgente necessidade de uma metodologia de produto potencial mais robusta, além de informações mais transparentes, para que o debate sobre a possibilidade de se ter uma regra fiscal voltada para o indicador de resultado fiscal estrutural seja iniciado.

Au cours des dernières décennies, la mondialisation a joué un rôle crucial dans l'évolution de l'économie mondiale et du mode de vie des populations. Elle a largement contribué à la croissance économique de nombreux pays grâce à l'essor des échanges commerciaux, des investissements et de la création d'emplois , entre autres. Cependant, si la mondialisation a apporté de nombreux avantages, elle a également rendu les pays plus vulnérables aux crises. Elle a aussi soulevé des défis en matière de coordinations de politiques économiques des groupes de pays souverains. Cette thèse, composée de trois chapitres, se penche sur certaines questions macroéconomiques liées à l'économie internationale. Le premier chapitre présente une méthode permettant d'analyser les canaux de propagation du cycle économique au sein d'une économie et entre les pays. Le deuxième chapitre aborde la conception de règles budgétaires pour les économies intégrées au sein d'une union économique et monétaire. Enfin, le dernier chapitre évalue l'impact des obstacles routiers tels que les barrages, les retards et la corruption sur l'intégration commerciale régionale en Afrique de l'Ouest. Dans le premier chapitre, j'ai développé une méthode visant à orienter les chercheurs dans la spécification améliorée de leurs modèles quantitatifs lors de l'étude du cycle économique international. Les orientations découlent de l'application de la comptabilité des cycles économiques, en se basant sur un modèle prototype. Ce modèle prototype est construit à partir d'un modèle de croissance internationale auquel sont intégrés des «wedges» qui captent les frictions et distorsions présentes dans l'économie. Pour chaque pays, j'ai pris en compte les «wedges» suivants : l'efficacité technologique, les distorsions sur le marché du travail, l'investissement, les dépenses gouvernementales, les préférences et les échanges d'actifs étrangers. J'ai ensuite illustré cette méthode en l'appliquant aux États-Unis et au Canada pendant la grande récession de 2007-2008. Mes résultats indiquent que les ralentissements économiques observés dans les deux pays au cours de cette période étaient principalement dus aux distorsions de l'investissement, aux distorsions sur le marché du travail et à celles de l'efficacité technologique aux États-Unis, tandis que les distorsions de l'investissement au Canada ne jouaient qu'un rôle secondaire. Ces résultats suggèrent que la crise est partie des États-Unis pour se propager ensuite au Canada. Le deuxième chapitre se concentre sur la conception de la règle budgétaire au sein d'une union économique, avec une application à l'Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA), qui possède un marché des capitaux intégré et une règle budgétaire commune. Je présente des faits sur l'existence d'une hétérogénéité significative des recettes, des dépenses et de la dette publiques parmi les pays de l'UEMOA. Dans ce chapitre, j'effectue une analyse quantitative de la règle budgétaire au sein de l'UEMOA et propose une réforme optimale en utilisant un cadre théorique qui modélise la politique fiscale des gouvernements confrontés à des chocs et ayant des préférences temporelles biaisées vers le présent. Le modèle met en évidence un compromis entre la flexibilité du gouvernement pour faire face aux chocs et l'engagement à limiter les incitations à un endettement excessif. Les résultats montrent que la règle actuelle de limitation du déficit à 3 \%, appliquée uniformément à tous les pays de l'UEMOA, améliore le bien-être des citoyens par rapport à un scénario sans règle budgétaire. Cependant, l'adoption de règles budgétaires spécifiques à chaque pays conduirait à une amélioration au sens de Pareto par rapport à la règle uniforme actuelle. La limite optimale du déficit pour chaque pays dépendrait de la volatilité des chocs affectant ses besoins de dépenses ainsi que des frictions politico-économiques et monétaires propres à son gouvernement. En outre, en imposant une règle budgétaire uniforme à tous ses membres, l'UEMOA renonce à 24 \% des gains de bien-être qui pourraient être obtenus grâce à l'adoption de règles budgétaires spécifiques à chaque pays. En résumé, mes résultats démontrent que bien que l'UEMOA bénéficie d'une règle budgétaire commune, une règle sur mesure tenant compte des caractéristiques spécifiques de chaque pays membre améliorerait encore davantage le bien-être général. Le troisième chapitre (co-écrit avec Idossou Marius Adom) examine les effets des barrages routiers, des retards et de la corruption le long des routes interétatiques sur l'intégration commerciale régionale en Afrique de l'Ouest. Il est bien connu que le commerce régional en Afrique est relativement faible par rapport à d'autres régions du monde. Dans cet article, nous utilisons les rapports sur «l'amélioration de la gouvernance des transports routiers» (IRTG) pour construire une nouvelle base de données mesurant les barrages routiers, les retards et les pots-de-vin liés au commerce sur huit routes interétatiques en Afrique de l'Ouest entre 2006 et 2013. Notre objectif est d'étudier leurs effets sur le commerce bilatéral dans la région. Ces routes interétatiques relient trois pays enclavés -- le Burkina Faso, le Niger et le Mali -- à d'autres pays côtiers. Nos résultats montrent que les barrages routiers, les retards et la corruption sont des problèmes récurrents sur ces routes. Pendant le transport des marchandises, les camions sont soumis à plus de 25 contrôles, subissent des retards de plus de 5 heures et sont contraints de verser des pots-de-vin allant de 45 à 115 dollars américains. Nos analyses empiriques révèlent que les retards entravent considérablement le commerce bilatéral entre les pays connectés, tandis que l'effet positif de la corruption semble correspondre à celui de la théorie du «grease the wheels». / Globalization has been an important force in shaping the world economy and the way people live their lives in the past few decades. It has had sizable importance in the economic growth of many countries through the increase in trade, investment, new job creation, etc. While globalization has brought many benefits, it has also created many challenges such as the increase of the vulnerability of countries to crises, and the challenges of policy management of groups of sovereign countries. This dissertation, composed of three chapters, investigates some macroeconomic issues of the international economy. The first chapter proposes a method to access the channel through which the business cycle propagates to an economy and across countries. The second chapter investigates the fiscal rule design for integrated economies constituted in an economic and monetary union. The last chapter evaluates the effect of roadblocks, time delays, and bribes on interstate roads on regional trade integration in West Africa. In the first chapter, I have developed a method that can provide insights to researchers to better specify their quantitative models in international business cycle studies. The guidance comes from the application of an accounting procedure based on a prototype model of international growth that includes wedges capturing all the potential frictions and distortions of markets. For each country, I include an efficiency wedge, labor wedge, investment wedge, government wedge, preference wedge, and foreign asset wedge. I then demonstrate the method by applying it to the US and Canada during the Great Recession (2007-2008). I found that the economic downturns in both countries during this period were primarily due to the US investment wedge, US labor wedge, and US efficiency wedge, with the Canada investment wedge playing a secondary role. These results suggest that the crisis originated in the US and was propagated to Canada. The second chapter investigates the fiscal rule design for an economic union with an application to the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) which has an integrated capital market and a common fiscal rule. I document a significant heterogeneity in government revenue, spending, and debt across WAEMU countries. Then, in this chapter, I present a quantitative analysis of the fiscal rule in WAEMU and propose an optimal reform using a theoretical framework that models fiscal policy under present-biased governments facing shocks to their fiscal needs. The model highlights a trade-off between government flexibility in responding to shocks and a commitment to limit the incentive to overborrow. I find that the current 3\% deficit limit rule, which is uniform across all WAEMU countries, improves welfare for the citizens of all countries compared to a scenario with no fiscal rule. However, country-specific fiscal rules would lead to a Pareto improvement over the current uniform rule. The optimal deficit limit for each country would depend on the volatility of the shocks to its spending needs and the strength of the political-economic and monetary-economic frictions of its government. In addition, by imposing a uniform fiscal rule on all members, WAEMU foregoes 24\% of the welfare gains that could be achieved with a country-specific fiscal rule. In summary, I show that while WAEMU countries benefit from having a common fiscal rule, a tailored approach that considers the specific characteristics of each member country would enhance welfare even further. The third chapter (\emph{co-authored with Idossou Marius Adom}) explores the effects of roadblocks, time delays, and bribes along interstate roads on the regional trade integration in West Africa. Indeed, it is a well-known fact that regional trade within Africa is low compared to other regions in the world. In this paper, we rely on the Improved Road-Transport Governance reports to construct a novel data set that measures trade-related roadblocks, time delays, and bribes on eight interstate roads in Western Africa between 2006 and 2013 to investigate their effects on bilateral trade in the region. These interstate roads connect three landlocked countries -- Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali -- to other coastal countries. We document that roadblocks, delays, and bribes are pervasive on the roads. During goods transportation, trucks experience up to more than 25 controls, are delayed by up to more than 5 hours, and pay between 45 and 115 US dollars bribe. Our empirical analyses show that the delays seriously impede bilateral trade between the connected countries while corruption tends to match the ``grease the wheels'' theory.