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This book offers the reader a state-of-the-art overview on theory and empirics of business cycle synchronisation, structural reform and economic integration. Focusing on the ongoing integration process in the euro area and the EU, it analyses the integration process that has taken place since the 1980s and which is marked by the advent of the euro and the substantial enlargement that resulted from the accession of 12 new Member States in East and Southern Europe.

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1 Introduction.- 2 Literature Review.- 3 Descriptive Analysis.- 4 Determinants of Business Cycle Synchronistion.- 5 Shock Propagation Mechanisms and Business Cycle Convergence.- 6 Summary and Policy Implications.- 7 Appendix.- References.

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Dr. Marcus Kappler is deputy head of the research group "Growth and Business Cycles" at the Centre for European Economic Research in Mannheim, Germany. He conducts research on international business cycle linkages, European economic integration, and the determinants of potential output.

Andreas Sachs is member of the research group "Growth and Business Cycles" at the Centre for European Economic Research in Mannheim, Germany. His research focuses on the analysis of causes of unemployment with special emphasis on the role of institutional rigidities.

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