Recent Events – 2011, a Year of Euro Crisis in Perspective

Multidisciplinary Research Workshop 14 December 2011:  “2011, a Year of Euro Crisis in Perspective”

On 14 December 2011 the Max Weber Programme in collaboration with the ECO Department organized a Multidisciplinary Research Workshop entitled “2011, a Year of Euro Crisis in perspective” with the participation of Prof. Charles Wyplosz, the Graduate School, Geneva, Josep Borrell, President, EUI, Youssef Cassis, HEC Department, EUI, Ramon Marimon, Director MWP, EUI and Nathan Marcus, MWF, EUI.

The euro-zone’s financial crisis dominated the headlines in 2011. Initially a sovereign-debt crisis limited to certain euro-zone countries with growing budget deficits and high levels of sovereign debt, it gradually evolved into a general crisis of confidence in the entire euro-zone.

Euro-zone leaders are presently grappling with solutions to restore confidence in order to prevent the collapse of the European Monetary Union, but the possible solutions, from the European Financial Stability Facility to creating Euro-Bonds and a fiscal union are highly contentious.

Will the euro and Europe’s monetary union survive? Following five presentations from economists and historians, this question was debated during an open discussion.