Director's Cut: The drama of the EU and euro area

Bruegel director Guntram Wolff and Ashoka Mody – visiting professor in international economic policy at Princeton University – explore subjects addressed in the latter’s latest book, Euro tragedy: a drama in nine acts.

Kicking off this Director’s Cut of the 'The Sound of Economics', the two explore the historical development behind the EU's creation. Ashoka Mody argues that the adoption of the euro as a single currency has exacerbated economic divergences between EU Member States as some do not have the institutional maturity or capabilities to fully adopt monetary policy measures. Guntram Wolff points out that in the view of Helmut Kohl, the adoption of the euro was a means to further reunite the continent and support peace-building. They also discuss the role of social democracy in the drama on the future of Europe.

The conversation from this episode explores the development of the EU from its early history until its present-day situation. Member States’ commitments to the European project from a political and economic point of view are touched upon, with a particular focus on Germany's role within the whole debate. For a more in-depth discussion on the subject, be sure to play back the full recording of the Bruegel event chaired by Maria Demertzis and featuring Ashoka Mody and Guntram Wolff.

Further suggestions:

Maria Demertzis previously wrote a blog on EU reform entitled Trust in the EU? The key obstacle to reform

Read more on the recent Franco-German Meseberg declaration which set the scene for next week’s summit

Policy contribution by Konstantinos Edstathiou and Guntram Wolff:  Is the European Semester effective and useful?