André Sapir puts forward some comments and recommendations about the Lisbon Methodology (LIME) Working Group. This Policy Contribution was presented at the first meeting of LIME'S Working Group on 1 February 2007.

This paper discusses the creation of a European Banking Union. First, we discuss questions of design. We highlight seven fundamental choices that decision makers will need to make: Which EU countries should participate in the banking union? To which categories of banks should it apply? Which...

The economic profiles of southern Mediterranean countries (SMCs) bear some resemblance to those of south-eastern European countries and some former Soviet republics at the beginning of their economic transition in 1990. The SMCs resemble less the former communist countries that joined the...

Countries can make a clean exit from financial assistance, or enter a new programme or a precautionary programme, depending on the sustainability of their public debt and their vulnerability to shocks. Ireland made a clean exit in December 2013, supported by significant budgetary and...

Jean Pisani-Ferry and André Sapir call for more focused guidelines in Lisbon 2, an explicit methodology for evaluating National Reform Programmes, and better "ownership" of these programmes to encourage national debate on key areas of underperformance in member states. This paper, prepared at...