The Great Recession and the European debt crisis have reignited the debate about deeper fiscal integration in the Eurozone. Supporters of further integration argue that fiscal risk sharing is necessary to increase the resilience of the European economy against macroeconomic shocks. As early as in 2012, the Four Presidents’ Report noted that fiscal integration might take the form of a common unemployment insurance system. In spring 2017, the European Commission will present a White Paper outlining further steps needed to complete the European Monetary Union.

This Lunch Debate will focus on the potentials of a European Unemployment Benefit Scheme (EUBS) as an instrument for fiscal stabilisation. Is such an integration measure still feasible and desired following the Brexit vote? How should a EUBS be designed in order to preserve incentives at the national level and to avoid permanent transfers?

Speaker:

• Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut (Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing of the State of Baden-Württemberg)
• László Andor, PhD (former EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, currently Senior Research Fellow at IMK (Hans Böckler Stiftung) and head of the department of economic policy at Corvinus University)
• Torsten Arnswald (Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany)
• Fabian Dell, PhD (EU Commission, Cabonet of Commissioner Pierre Moscovici)
• Dr. Matthias Dolls (ZEW)
• Moderation: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Additional infomration:

Participation is by personal invitation only. If interested, please contact: LunchDebates@zew.de