Lack of unity makes zone ‘political dwarf’

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Series Details 8.5.08
Publication Date 08/05/2008
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Feature discusses a report issued by the European Commission, 7 May 2008 marking 10 years of the EU's Economic and Monetary Union.

The European Commission says: The euro is a resounding success. The protection provided by an international currency with a market of nearly 320 million people, supported by sound public finances and stable macroeconomic policies, is particularly welcome in these times of uncertainty and worrying increases in the prices of energy and food. But as we complete 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), we must acknowledge that there is still work to be done. The euro area’s governance and coordination of economic policies must be improved. This will involve both deepening and broadening economic surveillance arrangements to guide fiscal policy over the cycle and in the long term and, at the same time, address divergences in growth, inflation and competitiveness. We also need to better project our voice in the global arena, to reflect the euro’s weight as an international currency used well beyond its borders. Only then will the benefits of the single currency become fully apparent to the citizens of the euro area.

Related Links
ECB: ECB's 10th anniversary http://www.ecb.int/ecb/10ann/html/index.en.html
European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/716: 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union: a resounding success but testing times ahead http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/716&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
European Commission: DG Economic and Financial Affairs: Website: Welcome to EMU@10! http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/emu10/index_en.htm
BBC News: Mark Mardell's EuroBlog: Ten years of the euro, 7.5.08 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2008/05/ten_years_of_the_euro.html

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