Presidents' Debate: Putting Europe back on track
Date: Wednesday 30 June 10 - 05:15 pm to 06:30 pm
Type: Plenary sessions
The crisis was caused by risky banking, bad management and failed supervision. Governments are drawing up the policies to reign in any future excessive risk-taking in the private as well as the public sector. Banks might have to deal with stricter capital requirements (Basel II), ‘stress tests’, capital transaction levies and bonus and compensation restrictions. How will this affect their ability to lend to the real economy? Also European governments might have to align their economic policies, or organise stronger eurobonds or even a European Monetary Fund. But are member states willing to give up some of their powers? The ‘de Larosière’ report, calling for EU-wide financial supervision, already seemed a bridge too far for national authorities. Also, it took the EU awfully long to respond to the Greek debWith the Lisbon Treaty in place, after initial Dutch, French and Irish no-votes, and the European economy on the rebound, Europe is still not out of the woods. Energy issues, unemployment, migration and demographic problems are high on the agenda. How does the new EU institutional make-up help the newly installed Commission and Parliament to face these challenges? The ‘Europe 2020’ strategy, aiming for innovative, green growth, is supposed to put Europe ‘back on track’. What can we learn from it’s failed predecessor, the Lisbon Agenda? And will this strategy prove competitive enough to keep Europe’s distinctive social market economy afloat?
Moderator
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Guy Johnson
Anchor, CNBC
Speakers
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Herman Van Rompuy
President, European Council
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José Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission
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Jürgen R. Thumann
President, BUSINESSEUROPE
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Thomas Leysen
President, Federation of Enterprises in Belgium / Member, ERT