Recent estimates of exchange rate pass-through to import prices in the euro area

This paper provides an update on the exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) estimates for 12 euro area (EA) countries. First, based on quarterly data over the 1990–2012 period, the study does not find a significant heterogeneity in the degree of pass-through across the monetary union members, in contrast to previous empirical studies. As the authors use a longer time span for the post-EA era than existing studies, this is not surprising, since the process of monetary union has entailed some convergence towards more stable macroeconomic conditions across EA member states. Second, when assessing the stability of pass-through elasticities, the authors find very weak evidence of a decline around the inception of the euro in 1999. However, their results reveal that a downtrend in ERPT estimates became apparent starting from the beginning of the 1990s. This observed decline was synchronous to the shift towards reduced inflation regimes in their sample of countries. Finally, the authors notice that the distinction between “peripheral” and “core” EA economies in terms of pass-through has significantly decreased over the last two decades.