'Reforming the Stability and Growth Pact: where do we stand ? Reforming the SPG has become a highly debated issue in Europe. This parper starts with recalling the fiscal policy framework in the euro area: the 3% of GDP limit for public deficits, stability programmes, the broad economic policy guidelines. The weaknesses of the existing procedures are addressed: the arbitary nature of th criteria, the lack of economic policy co-ordination. We discuss the propositions recently made by the Commission to strengthen its influence on national fiscal policies. We then deal with several other propositions: budgetary federalism, golden rule of public finances, budgetary policy committees, public debt rather than deficits surveillance. Finally, we present our proposal: national budgetary policies would be responsilbe for managing the inflation- production trade off, under a medium term inflation objective, while monetary policy would target interest rates.
