Since the mid-1990s, we observe an increase of world current account imbalances. These imbalances have only been partially reduced since the burst of the crisis in 2007. They reflect, to some extent, exchange rate misalignments, an issue which has been frequently studied in the literature. However, these imbalances, which have reinforced in the 2000s, are also important inside the Euro area. This analysis cannot be reduced to simple estimates of euro misalignment at the world level because of specific constraints that exist for each member of the Euro area. This article aims to examine to what extent intra-European imbalances reflect exchange rate misalignments for each "national euro".

This paper investigates the temporal links between two models of equilibrium exchange rate, namely the behavioral and the fundamental approaches. Our results show that, even though in the long-run they are closely related, important differences are observed for some countries and/or some periods. Contrary to previous contributions, we analyze the factors that explain this disconnection. We outline structural changes in matter of competitiveness, the dynamics of foreign assets and valuation effects as explanations. This novel evidence is important if the two approaches for assessing misalignments are used for policy decisions such as setting tariffs to cope with the "currency war".

Since the mid-1990s, we observe an increase of world current account imbalances. These imbalances have only been partially reduced since the burst of the crisis in 2007. They reflect, to some extent, exchange rate misalignments, an issue which has been frequently studied in the literature. However, these imbalances, which have reinforced in the 2000s, are also important inside the Euro area. This analysis cannot be reduced to simple estimates of euro misalignment at the world level because of the specific constraints that exist for each member of the Euro area. This article aims to examine to what extent the intra-European imbalances reflect exchange rate misalignments for each "national euro".Classification JEL: F31, F32

La crise de la zone euro illustre les carences des mécanismes d'ajustement dans une union monétaire caractérisée par une forte hétérogénéité. Cette situation reflète un diagnostic simple. Au niveau de l'ensemble de la zone, l'euro est proche de son taux d'équilibre. Mais l'euro est fortement surévalué pour les pays d'Europe du Sud, y compris la France, et largement sous-évalué pour les pays d'Europe du Nord, en particulier l'Allemagne (Jeong et ali., 2010). Dans un premier temps, cet article donne une évaluation de ces mésalignements de change au sein de la zone euro, en utilisant une approche FEER. De plus, en utilisant des données de panel sur la période 1994-2010, nous confirmons que les mésalignements de taux de change ont divergé, reflétant des évolutions insoutenables. Enfin, nous estimons les augmentations ou les réductions de coûts en % du PIB induits par ces mésalignements pour les différents pays européens. Dans un second temps, nous utilisons une modélisation « stockflux cohérente » à deux pays d'une union monétaire dans la lignée de Godley et Lavoie (2007) et de Duwicquet et Mazier (2010). Un budget fédéral est introduit avec des dépenses fédérales et des transferts sociaux financés par des impôts fédéraux et par l'émission d'euroobligations. Le rôle stabilisateur d'un tel budget fédéral est confirmé face à des chocs asymétriques au sein de l'union. Parallèlement, le rôle stabilisateur d'euro-obligations destinées à des projets d'investissement est illustré. Mots-clés : Mésalignements de taux de change, ajustements, union monétaire, crise de la zone euro. Exchange Rate Misalignments, Fiscal Federalism and Redistribution: How to Adjust in a Monetary Union The euro zone crisis illustrates the insufficiency of adjustment mechanisms in a monetary union characterized by a large heterogeneity. Firstly, the paper gives an evaluation of exchange rate misalignments inside the euro zone, using a FEER approach (Jeong et ali., 2010). Using panel econometric techniques over the period 1994-2010, we confirm that the exchange rate misalignments in the euro zone have diverged, reflecting unsustainable evolutions. Secondly, we use a "stock-flow consistent" model of a monetary union with two countries along the lines of Godley and Lavoie (2007) and Duwicquet and Mazier (2010). A federal budget is introduced with federal expenditures and social transfers financed by federal taxes and euro-bonds issuing. The stabilizing role of such a federal budget is confirmed facing asymmetric shock or the negative impact of exchange rate misalignments inside the monetary union. Similarly, the stabilizing role of euro-bonds used to finance European investment projects is illustrated.

The literature on exchange rate misalignments is very extensive as well as the literature on exchange rate determinants. To our knowledge, however, no study has analyzed the determinants of exchange rate misalignments.