On the future of EMU: Targeted reforms instead of more fiscal integration

According to a dominant narrative, the recent crisis has allegedly shown that EMU is not sustainable without fiscal risk sharing. We identify two major hazards associated with this view. First, trust in EMU governance could unduly erode despite major recent achievements, notably if further fiscal integration should prove elusive. Second, the debate on further fiscal integration could distract from additional reforms needed to prevent financial cycles in the future. In contrast, we suggest that a limited set of reforms (mostly focusing on the financial sector) would suffice to make EMU sustainable.