Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 08/2013

A Copernican turn in Banking Union urgently needed

Thomas Mayer

July 2013

Centre for European Policy Studies

Abstract

Despite broad agreement among central bankers, policy-makers and economists that creation of a ‘Banking Union’ is essential for the survival of the euro, progress in building this union has been painfully slow. This is largely due to the protracted fights over which government will be the payer of last resort when banks fail because of bad loans made in the past. Taking a cue from Copernicus, Thomas Mayer suggests in this new CEPS Policy Brief that the impasse may be broken by turning the whole process on its head.