Topical issues of the financial independence of the European Central Bank The thesis aims to introduce the role of the European central bank during the financial crisis, including the legal aspects and risks related to conduct of non-standard measures of monetary policy, and to analyse concerned case law of the European court of Justice. Accordingly, this thesis attempts to point to the shortcomings and uncertainty of the interpretation of the primary law and to summarize the historic development of this legal issue. For this purpose the author draws on the historic context of the conduct of monetary policy of the European central bank and in particular on European court of Justice decisions. The thesis attempts to link the legal aspect with the economic aspect, which the author perceives as an essential attribute for a correct understanding of the whole issue. Key words: monetary policy, ECB, financial independence

This research attempts to evaluate the stability of money demand functions and estimate monetary inflation models in the East African Community (EAC), using quarterly aggregate data that range from 2000Q1 to 2012Q3. We used Johansen co-integration analysis to estimate and analyse the stability of the M3 money demand model for each country member of the EAC. From this estimation, we derived a country-specific measure of money overhang. We compared its forecasting power of future inflation with that of money stock growth, and money stock available in the economy. Regarding country-specific money demand functions, with the exception of Uganda, we identified a reasonable and stable country-specific M3 money demand model. Also, for predicting future inflation, the estimation results showed that M3 money stock growth is more reliable in Burundi and in Kenya, while M3 money overhang is preferable in Rwanda and M3 money stock in Tanzania. As both country-specific and regional (EAC area) information on monetary quantity growth and its impact on price level is important to know in a monetary union, we considered the EAC area as a single market and attempted to estimate the aggregate (EAC area) demand functions for broad money M2 and M3 using Johansen co-integration analysis. The estimated long-run aggregate money demand models M2 and M3 appeared to be stable over the sample period. However, the aggregate M2 and M3 at the EAC level were proven to be weakly exogenous, which should discard them for consideration at the EAC level as the intermediate targets variables in order to achieve the overall objective of price stability in the EAC region. Instead, short-term interest rate should be given a prominent role in monetary policy framework at the EAC level.

This study focuses on describing and analyzing monetary policy in Czechoslovakia between 1919 and 1929. Initially devoted to theoretical definition of monetary policy and approaches to the nature of money. The analytical part describes the most important events of the decade in terms of monetary policy. Particular emphasis is placed primarily on monetary reform, which made Alois Rašín in 1919. The work also describes a change in direction from the deflationary policy to monetary stabilization, on which has the largest merit Engliš, second significant figure in the Czechoslovak monetary policy in those years. As Rašín and Engliš contributed significantly to successful monetary developments in postwar Czechoslovakia. Rašin deal with strong inflationary pressures and gave rise to solid and credible crown. Engliš is behind the most significant economic boom in the history of republic.

The monetary policy of the Fed and the ECB has greatly change as a result of the global crisis. The goal of the thesis is to analyse the evolution of unconventional monetary instruments in the USA and the EU after the outbreak of the global crisis and nowadays with the help of pivotal economic models; namely, the IS-LM-BP model and the quantity theory of money. In addition, the paper should assess the impacts of adopted instruments and programs and draw conclusions about their success. The theoretical part explains the IS-LM-BP framework and the quantity theory of money and describes the unconventional monetary tools that the central banks can use when the interest rates reach the zero lower bound. The practical part analyses EU and US economy with the explained models. Furthermore, the implemented instruments of the Fed and the ECB are described and compared. The thesis should be concluded with the claim that the transmission mechanism was restored with the help of the non-standard measures, however, the desirable price level stabilization has not been reached.

L’objectif principal de la présente thèse est d’analyser les conceptions de la politique monétaire et les cadres monétaires dans les pays en développement. Nous analysons trois aspects du cadre de la politique monétaire : le degré d'indépendance de la banque centrale, la gestion de la politique monétaire et le régime de taux de change. Ce travail comporte des analyses quantitatives et empiriques ainsi que des études de cas détaillées de trois pays du Moyen-Orient. Les analyses empiriques renvoient à trois domaines majeurs que sont : l'existence du phénomène de la peur du flottement et la relation entre la volatilité des taux de change et la volatilité macroéconomique ; le degré d'indépendance de la politique monétaire dans les pays en développement dans le contexte de leur intégration accrue au système économique mondial ; enfin, le degré d'indépendance de la banque centrale et la façon dont il influence la peur du flottement et l'indépendance de la politique monétaire. Les résultats démontrent que l'indépendance de la banque centrale est responsable de l'augmentation de l'indépendance de la politique monétaire nationale vis-à-vis des taux d'intérêt mondiaux et que celle-ci contribue à réduire la peur du flottement dans les pays en développement. Les conclusions des études de cas suggèrent que l'indépendance de la banque centrale est cruciale pour assurer la stabilité des changes et des prix. Toutefois, les pays en développement ne devraient pas se focaliser uniquement et pendant de longues périodes sur la stabilité des changes au détriment d'autres facteurs. On a constaté en effet les avantages découlant d'une gestion efficace et prudente du régime de taux de change. / The main objective of this thesis is to analyse monetary policy designs and monetary frameworks in developing countries. The thesis studies three features of the monetary policy framework: the level of central bank independence, the conduct of monetary policy and exchange rate regime. This study conducts quantitative empirical analyses as well as detailed case studies of three Middle East countries.The above mentioned quantitative analyses cover the following three domains: firstly the existence of the phenomenon of fear of floating and the relationship between exchange rate volatility and macroeconomic volatility, secondly the level of monetary policy independence in developing countries in the context of increasing integration of these countries into the global economic system and lastly the level of central bank independence as well as the way in which it influences both the phenomenon of fear of floating and monetary independence. The findings show that the central bank independence contributes to the increase of national monetary policy independence from the world interest rates and reduces the fear of floating in developing countries, at least to a certain extent. The main conclusions drawn from the case studies put forward that central bank independence is vital in the process of attaining both price stability and exchange rate stability. Nevertheless, developing countries should not aim only at exchange rate stability and they should avoid neglecting other factors for long periods. As a matter of fact, the findings emphasize the advantages of an effective and prudent exchange rate regime management.

The object of this thesis is the revision of the exchange rate mechanisms ERM II from the point of his effect on the Czech Republic's integration process. In this thesis, there are analyzed benefits and risks cussed by ERM II participation and inferred conclusions relevant for the Czech Republic. This thesis is moreover dealing with hypothetic run of the participation of Czech koruna in ERM II and its incidence on fulfillment of exchange rate criterion. Except that there are analyzed reasons for current negative attitude of Denmark, Great Britain and the Northern Ireland and Sweden to third period of the Economy and monetary union.

Diploma thesis is entitled Monetary policy of NBS and convergence to EMU. Introductory theoretical section describes the development of monetary unions in the past and the causes of their extinction. Subsequently, it is devoted to the foundation of the European Monetary Union in various stages, of its crisis and transition to the ERM II exchange rate system. It characterizes the nominal Maastricht criteria in theory. Following chapters constitute the practical part of the thesis. Chapters 2-4 discuss the monetary policy of the NBS and its roles and objectives. They outline monetary policy of NBS in the individual periods followed by an evaluation of measures and compliance with the main objectives, such as exchange rate stability, inflation targeting and inflation targeting in ERM II. The last chapter discusses the costs and benefits of euro, their comparison and evaluation of the appropriateness of the timing of entry into EMU. Real convergence is emphasised and represented by GDP per capita, the adjustment of price levels, employment and foreign trade. Nominal convergence is represented by Maastricht convergence criteria and their implementation. The development of various criteria is compared with the countries of V4 -- Czech republic, Poland and Hungary. Finally it summarises the overall functioning of the National Bank in the field of monetary policy, the appreciation of the euro advantages and appropriateness of the timing.

The dissertation deals with the interplay of fiscal and monetary policy in face of uncertainty about the estimation of the true output gap. Theoretical framework of the dissertation set this interplay of monetary and fiscal policy into the realm of game theory, in particularly non-cooperative games of the Nash and Stackelberg equilibrium, respectively. The theoretical framework continued with a description of various methods used for estimation of potential output and output gap, with a special emphasis on methods used in both the Czech National Bank and Czech Ministry of Finance. In the applied part of the dissertation, I studied the interplay of monetary and fiscal policy in the case of Czech economy facing an uncertainty about the estimation of the true output gap. I studied the impact of this interplay on major macroeconomic variables and I tried to determine, which of these two policies plays the role of a leader and which plays the role of a follower in the case of Czech economic environment.

Thesis brings broader picture about the relationship between unconventional measures implemented by ECB and valuation of banking sector in the Eurozone. It also examines implementation of unconventional measures with regard to the three crises, which struggled European economy in the years thereafter the beginning of the last financial crises. Attention is also directed towards factors which have direct impact on the valuation of banks and are influenced by steps adopted by monetary authority. For this purpose two stage dividend discount model, model of economic value added, and price to book ratio model are used. Main tools necessary for the analysis are databases of the platform Bloomberg and statistics gathered by ECB. Hypothesis suggesting the positive relationship between unconventional measures implemented by ECB and valuation of banking sector in the Eurozone is proved for mid-term horizon. In case of immediate reaction of shares the results are divided based on the structure of specific measure and also on the expectations of financial market. Thesis as a whole confirms the positive effects of unconventional measures on the valuation of shares, therefore entice to additional research. In fact sometimes monetary policy might cause distortion in the prices on the financial markets and endanger main goals of central bank.

The main target of this thesis is to investigate and compare influence of changing nominal interest rates of ECB on GDP and its main components: investments and consumption and find out how the mometary policy influences real convergence of Slovakia and Estonia comparing to eurozone countries.