The European Union (EU) is facing significant financial challenges, including debt limits, funding for projects, and the need for fiscal discipline. Despite strict budget requirements set by the confederation of states, many member states are not complying with the regulations. This has led to reforms in the Stability and Growth Pact, which aims to maintain the 60 percent and 3 percent thresholds.
One of the main issues is the significant rifts between EU member states over fiscal policy. Some countries advocate for strict budget discipline, while others have national debts that are out of control. For example, Italy’s debt is 137 percent of GDP, while Sweden’s is only 31 percent. There are concerns that some small countries have even less debt.
The rules governing debt and budget thresholds have lost credibility due to a lack of penalties imposed on countries not meeting these limits. Currently, 13 member states are in violation of these limits, with no consequences faced so far.
To address this issue, there is a call for the EU Commission to enforce criminal proceedings against countries that breach fiscal rules in the future. With ambitious projects such as expanding rail transport and adopting greener agriculture underway, there is concern about funding sources for these initiatives. One proposal to attract private capital for EU projects is through the creation of a capital markets union; however, this requires trust in the financial stability of member states.
The dilemma faced by the EU involves balancing austerity measures with funding needs for its projects. Currently, borrowing is used to fund initiatives like the Covid recovery fund; however, this poses risks due to financial obligations within Europe. The new approach involves negotiating with countries exceeding debt limits to outline how they can reduce their debt over time to reach a maximum of 60 percent of GDP.
In conclusion, addressing financial challenges facing both Europe and its member states will require crucial roles from various actors such as reforming regulations and enforcing fiscal rules while exploring new financial mechanisms such as capital markets unions.