The Euro Plus Pact: How Integration into the EU Framework can Give New Momentum for Structural Reforms in the Euro Area

The European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) reports directly to the President of the European Commission and operates under his authority. It is composed of a professional staff of advisers, policy analysts and support staff with appropriate experience and track record, in order to provide professional and targeted policy advice to the President and the College.

EPSC provides strategic analysis and policy advice for the President on matters related to the policy priorities (as defined by the President in his political guidelines presented to the European Parliament on 15 July 2014), and outreach to decision-makers, think tanks and civil society at large.

The EPSC provides support to the President also on concrete initiatives, as well as policy advice of more long-term nature.

EPSC Strategic Notes are analytical papers on topics chosen by the President of the European Commission. They are produced by the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the European Commission’s in-house think tank.The Euro Plus Pact addressed key policy areas but it largely failed to incentivise structural reforms across the board and over time. Nonetheless, many Member States have undertaken significant reform efforts in past years, prompted primarily by market pressure. The overriding challenge is how to rekindle the appetite for these reforms that remain necessary now that intense market scrutiny has abated.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Analysis: Europe: Four steps to fiscal union http://www.europeansources.info/record/analysis-europe-four-steps-to-fiscal-union/

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