The Economist
Mario Draghi on the path to fiscal union in the euro zone

Fiscal union in the Eurozone: a must to meet today's challenges

Mario Draghi is calling for an European common fiscal action to confront common challenges, imported shocks (pandemic, energy crisis and Ukraine´s war) and supranational issues that will require vast investments in green and digital transition and defence. The road to a Fiscal Union now has different motivations than in the past, is not seeing as transfers from stronger countries to support weaker ones neither to face crises caused by unsound policies in particular countries. Now, EU Fiscal Union is needed because there is a serious risk that Europe underdelivers on its climate goals, fails to provide the security its citizens demand and loses its industrial base to regions that impose fewer constraints on themselves.

Main Highligths:

  • Common Challenges and goals need common fiscal action: Current European fiscal and state-aid rules limit the ability of countries to act independently.
  • New fiscal rules proposals at the EU need to be complemented by more spending powers to the center: Draghi is in favor of the new set of fiscal rules proposed by the Commission to avoid procyclicality. But in his view even if fully implemented, it would not fully resolve the trade-off between strict rules—which need to be automatic to be credible—and flexibility. Therefore, Europe needs to federalize some of the investment spending needed for today’s shared goals, which it will bring positive outcomes:
    - It could achieve a similar balance than the one that enjoys the United States, where an empowered federal government sits alongside largely inflexible fiscal rules for the states, which are mostly prohibited from running deficits.
    - National fiscal policies could then be more focused on reducing debt and building up buffers for bad times.
  • Consent from Eu citizens will be required: Such reforms would mean pooling more sovereignty and would therefore require new forms of representation and centralized decision-making, and thus the consent of European citizens in the form of a revision of EU treaties. According to Draghi today many citizens and governments are opposed to the loss of sovereignty, but alternatives are unrealistic as well.

Filter results

FILTER BY CATEGORIES()
BACK

Filter results

Categories

13/11/2025

According to the OECD. SMEs and start-ups that grow rapidly contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and competitiveness. Indeed, SMEs that grow by one-third over a three-year period, contribute about as much to job creation as large firms.

OCDE
Unleashing SME Potential to Scale Up
11/11/2025

According to @McKinsey, banks must prepare for a new growth curve. Strategic precision —the ability to combine technology, capital discipline, and deep customer insight— will distinguish the leaders from the laggards.

Mckinsey & Company
Global Banking Annual Review 2025
23/10/2025

According to Kristalina Georgeva IMF Managing Director, lifting growth requires three things: one, regulatory housecleaning to unleash private enterprise; two, deeper regional integration; and three, preparedness to harness AI.

International Monetary Fund
World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability reports, October 2025
15/10/2025

According to The European House – Ambrosetti, the European Union has an opportunity to boost competitiveness and growth by simplifying regulatory and supervisory frameworks, particularly in the areas of sustainability and the financial sector.

The European House- Ambrosetti
Europe’s Competitiveness at Crossroads: A Stocktaking one year after the Draghi and Letta Reports
15/10/2025

According to Ramón Casilda Béjar, Spain, in today’s complex geopolitical landscape, has the opportunity to strengthen its role as a bridge and connecting country between Ibero-America and the European Union, revitalizing investment flows in both directions.

Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos
Revitalizar el espacio inversor iberoamericano con España como puente y país vertebrador con la Unión Europea
25/09/2025

According to @ECB, in moments of acute stress, the public often turns to physical currency as a reliable store of value and a resilient means of payment, underscoring the crucial role it plays above and beyond everyday transactional convenience

European Central Bank, Francesca Faella and Alejandro Zamora-Pérez
Keep calm and carry cash: lessons on the unique role of physical currency across four crises
25/09/2025

According to Juan S. Mora-Sanguinetti, in Spain a 10% increase in regulatory volume leads to a 0.5% drop in employment in companies with fewer than 10 employees.

Banco de España, Juan S. Mora-Sanguinetti
La complejidad normativa en España: un freno para las empresas y el crecimiento económico
17/09/2025

According to Hélène Rey “In a world where stablecoins, particularly those pegged to the dollar, become an important global payment tool, we must brace ourselves for substantial consequences”.

International Monetary Fund
Stablecoins, Tokens, and Global Dominance
17/09/2025

@judith_arnal proposes reforms for the EU to advance regulatory simplification, starting with consensus on its meaning, with competitiveness as a pillar, plus coordination mechanisms and a governance rethink.

CEPS
EU simplification will fail without better governance: three necessary reforms to make sure it doesn’t fail
Judith Arnal
03/07/2025

According to @iee_org, Spain has one of the most demanding tax environments for businesses within the European and international context, which may have significant implications for competitiveness, foreign investment attraction, and business expansion.

Instituto de Estudios Económicos
Competitividad fiscal empresarial 2025
19/06/2025

According to Christine Lagarde for the euro to gain in status, Europe must take decisive steps by completing the single market, reducing regulatory burdens and building a robust capital markets union.

Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB
Europe’s “global euro” moment
29/05/2025

According to the Bank of Spain, in a context of strong growth in transactions and prices, the conditions under which new mortgage loans are granted currently show no signs of easing in lending standards.

Bank of Spain
Informe de Estabilidad Financiera. Primavera 2025
URL copied to clipboard