This may make the market more receptive to private bonds, as investors may be willing to accept higher credit risk when seeking a return. This factor, combined with lower borrowing costs, may give medium-sized enterprises, which so far have had to rely on bank financing, increased access to the bond market. It should be emphasised that the expected increase in competition in securities markets in the euro area is not solely due to the single currency. Technological advances, deregulation and harmonisation of laws and regulations are important forces contributing to a freer flow of capital and services in the single market. There is little doubt, however, that the introduction of a single currency will make a major contribution to accelerating this process. In sum, trends influencing developments in the banking and financial industry such as deregulation, internationalisation, changes in customer behaviour and rapid technological advances – leading to intensified competition – have been there for some time and will continue. However, the establishment of monetary union will probably intensify existing trends, creating even greater challenges with regard to competition in the banking and financial industry. This brings me back to the basic proposition made in the introduction. In many respects, the euro will not give rise to fundamentally new challenges. It is highly likely, however, that the euro will accentuate challenges that are already present. And that, I think, goes for the UK as well as Norway. *  BIS Review 16/1999  *  *
Thomas Jordan: No end to the debt society without a culture of stability Summary of a speech by Mr Thomas Jordan, Vice-Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank, held at an “NZZ Podium” event, Zurich, 28 February 2012. *  *  *  The complete speech can be found in German on the Swiss National Bank’s website. The most recent financial and economic crisis has resulted in an unprecedented rise in public debt. However, a chronic tendency towards deficits and higher indebtedness has already been observed in a number of countries for the past few decades. Excessive public debt has a negative impact on long-term economic growth, and deprives a country of its freedom of action during a crisis. Sound state finances are thus essential for ensuring an economy's competitiveness and maintaining its social security system, and hence also for social solidarity. Last but not least, excessive public debt also poses a serious threat to price stability and monetary policy independence. Yet how can state budgets be consolidated over the long term? There are limitations on how far fiscal policy powers can be delegated to independent groups of experts. Because fundamental decisions on taxation or expenditure – unlike monetary policy – are aimed at redistribution, they have to be taken at the political level. Even fiscal rules such as a deficit cap or debt ceiling can only achieve a lasting improvement of budgetary discipline if they are supported by a broad political consensus on the advantages of sound finances.