Comparative Analysis of the Evolution of Public Debt in the European Union

Abstract

In the context of the difficult economic situation experienced over the past decade, most EU Member States are calling for increased tax rates to cover budget deficits, but also resort to loans. The effect of the loans was the emergence and accentuation of public debt. In this article we aim to analyze the evolution of public debt at the level of the European Union during 2007-2017, both in terms of its structure and its dynamics. The conclusion we reach is that very few Member States have met the conditions imposed by the Maastricht Treaty on public debt.

Keywords

• public debt
• government securities
• the public debt crisis
• public loan