Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 03/2012

EU Federalism in Crisis

Karel Lannoo

December 2011

Centre for European Policy Studies

Abstract

In the run-up to this week’s European Council, Karel Lannoo offers his assessment of what has been put on the table so far in response to the euro crisis – and what more needs to be done. He starts with an assessment of the measures taken in the ‘six-pack’ and the debate on the Euro-plus Pact and then addresses some operational elements of the European Stability Mechanism and the question whether the EU is, as often alleged, a transfer union. The CEPS Chief Executive concludes his brief by proposing a pragmatic agenda of items on which the EU could advance towards a more federal economic union.