Economic and Monetary Union - 2009
Economic and Monetary Union - 2009
Because of the global crisis, the interest of specialists from economy area is focusing on economic and monetary policies of European Union. In this way, the budget of European Union, the Euro zone, the advantages and the institutional architecture of Economic and Monetary Union or the Growth and Stability Pact are only a few of the issues of concern for specialists.
Especially in the current context of the global crisis, a common response and a right evaluation of the measures taken at national, Community and international level must be realized on the basis of a complete understanding of the devices that lead the economic and monetary policies of EU. From an economic point of view, the way through which European construction advanced, including the adoption of EU currency in the member’s states, represent aspects that must be studied thoroughly by the Romanian specialists from the financial and economic zone. Their activity is influenced by the Community provisions.
Therefore, the course Economic and Monetary Union is designed to insure advanced training in the field of economic policies of the European Union, being aimed at public servants in ministries and governmental agencies whose public decisions are influenced by the common economic and monetary policy.
Beneficiaries
The participants at the training program Economic and Monetary Union organized in 2009 were a heterogeneous group. The total number of participants was 33.
The beneficiaries of this program were members of the public administration, be it central or local such us: the Ministry of Administration and Interior; the National Bank of Romania; the Embassy of France; the Chamber of Deputies; the National Environmental Protection Agency; the Agency for Informational Societies Services; the Agency of Payments and Intervention for Agriculture; National Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Cooperatives; the City Hall of Jilava; the National Society of Railway Transport for Goods; representatives of academic environment such us: the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies; Ovidius University from Constanţa; Spiru Haret University; Petru Maior University from Târgu Mureş; but also representatives from private banks like: Raiffeisen Bank, Libra Bank and representatives of civil society such us Sutter Association.
The largest number of participants occupies posts such as counselor and expert. Other positions represented at the program Economic and Monetary Union were: director, head of unit and project coordinator.
Objectives
The program is aimed at public servants in ministries and governmental agencies that by nature of their professional activities must be informed with regards to the specialized notions related to the common monetary policy and the economic policies of the European Union. The main purpose of the program Economic and Monetary Union is achieving a higher qualification by participants in the field of economic and monetary policies of the EU. The structure of the course is aimed to facilitate understanding on principal characteristics of economic and monetary policies of EU, as well as implementation instruments.
Timetable
Arrived at its second edition, the specialized training program with the theme the Economic and Monetary Union was organized by European Institute of Romania between November 26th – 27th 2009.
Details about the content of the program
In order to fulfill the objectives, the course is structured in the following modules:
· Monetary and financial market: concepts, aspects, instruments;
· Short history of the creation of the EMU and the institutional structure of the EMU;
· The Growth and Stability Pact;
· The perception on the introduction of the Euro currency;
· The experience of members states on the introduction of the Euro currency;
· The important role of The National Bank of Romania on the introduction of Euro currency.
The training program was lectured by Mrs. Mihaela Luţaş and by Mr. Mihai Copaciu.
Mrs. Mihaela Mariana Luţaş, professor at the Babeş Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca – Economics and Business Management Faculty, PhD in economics, as well as adult education trainer with a vast experience both in the field of economy and European Affairs. Mrs. Luţaş was lectured different courses at universities from Romania and foreign countries, research institutes; also she is the author of numerous books on European economic integration subject and Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Mrs. Luţaş is also associate professor at the International University Institute for European Studies (IUIES) in Trieste, Italy; Jean Monnet professor of the European Commission on issues of European economic integration and member of EUROTEAM, body of the CE for the implementation of the strategy of Euro currency adoption in Romania.
Mr. Mihai Copaciu has graduated from Babeş Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca – European Studies Faculty (International Relations), has master degrees in economy at Central European University (CEU) from Budapest and Pompeu Fabra University from Barcelona. Since 2005, Mr. Mihai Copaciu is main economist at the Monetary Policy and Macroeconomic Modeling Department, the Macroeconomic Assessment Models Division for the National Bank of Romania. His duties includes coordination of the development from a general and dynamic equilibrium model of the National Bank of Romania and also the making of macroeconomic, quarterly forecasts for the National Bank of Romania. Mr. Mihai Copaciu is co-author of some studies for the National Bank of Romania and also he has published articles on macroeconomic topics.
Feedback from participants
The feedback from participants represents the main assessment’s instrument for the training program Economic and Monetary Union. At the end of the course, the beneficiaries have fulfilled anonymously an opinion poll containing questions in which marks were awarded pertaining to the general level of the program, as well as that of the different modules, but also contained open questions about the most useful or redundant knowledge accumulated during the two days of training. Also there were open spaces for further comments and suggestions.
The assessment of the Economic and Monetary Union had as overall evaluations of 48% very good and 52% excellent. Among the most useful information indicated by the participants were: the mechanism on the introduction of the Euro currency and the role of European System of Central Banks (ESCB) in European and Romanian economy, the functioning of the second phase of the exchange rate mechanism, pro or counter arguments on the introduction of the Euro currency, the benefits and costs regarding accession in Euro area, a better understanding of the current context of the global crisis and its impact on the Romanian economy.
Featured in the criticism addressed to the program was a big volume of information related to the length of the course. From the administrative point of view there were identified as problems insufficient water and coffee for the participants.
Further, a small selection of the most representative opinions and suggestions offered by the participants:
· The expertise of the trainers is appreciable, the information was well structured and presented, the coverage area of Economic and Monetary Union being rather wide;
· The training program had an excellent quality given by a very good structure of the topics;
· It’s the second time when I step in this conference hall and I felt excellent, and the training materials were plenty;
· The extension of the program training length at three or four days.
Organizers
The program Economic and Monetary Union was organized by the European Institute of Romania at its headquarters in Bucharest, 7-9 Regina Elisabeta bldv in the conference hall at 4-th floor.
The project coordinator was Cornelia Predoiu, cornelia.predoiu@ier.ro
