CMC advocates for an alternative economic governance

Thursday (9 January 2014), a delegation of Centre Maurits Coppieters’ board attended a meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Berlaymont with BEPA Officials. The Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA) is an internal think tank of the Commission, which aims to connect policy-makers with those parts of society that can fruitfully contribute to the development of policies. This singular body forges links between the European Commission and other think tanks, academia and  civil society. They concentrate on the early stage of the policy cycle, thereby helping to shape policy options in the medium and long term.

The bilateral meeting with BEPA was mostly focused on discussing CMC’s reports on EU economic governance.  Mr. Xabier Macias, head of the CMC’s delegation, explained some of the findings and policy recommendations of the latest publications on economic and financial matters, such as “An Alternative EU Economic Governance” published in March 2013 and two previous papers on the topic: “Un autre cadre financier pluriannuel pour une nouvelle Europe” and “The size of states and economic performance in the EU”.

He advocated for a change in the objectives and role of the European Central Bank and the setting up of  financial transaction tax (FTT) – Also known as Tobin Tax in honor of economist and Nobel Laureate in 1981 James Tobin –

BEPA members expressed interest on those issues and confirmed that negotiations for most of them are still ongoing and will depend on the outcome of other debates such as the one on Horizon 2020 strategy and the future of Banking Union. the result of May 2014 European elections will also matter.