Event Summary
In an effort to contribute to analysis of the European debt crisis, the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Bruegel, the Brussels-based economic policy institute, held a conference on September 13–14, 2011, to examine policy alternatives confronting European leaders and international financial authorities. The first day of the conference concentrated on the broad political, economic and legal challenges to the stability of the euro area. On the conference's second day a strategic decision-making game was played by about three dozen experts representing governments, banks, and political circles, as well as key institutions (European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund, G-7, G-20). No currently serving public and international officials were included, but many of the attendees were former officials, academics, market participants or others with experience in financial and crisis matters. The game drew on many of the insights reached in the earlier discussions and presentations.
The proceedings of the conference have been published as Special Report 21: Resolving the European Debt Crisis, edited by William R. Cline and Guntram B. Wolff.
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Conference Participants by Discussion Topic
Country Political Economic Environments
Greece – Loukas Tsoukalis (University of Athens)
Ireland – Alan Ahearne (National University of Ireland, Galway)
Portugal – Pedro Lourtie (former Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs)
Italy – Riccardo Perissich (Council of the United States and Italy)
Spain – Guillermo de la Dehesa (Centre for Economic Policy Research)
France – Zaki Laidi (SciencesPo)
Germany – Daniela Schwarzer (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, SWP)
Lessons from Past Restructuring Experience
Economic – Jeromin Zettelmeyer (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
Legal – Lee Buchheit (Cleary Gottlieb)
Pros and Cons of Alternative Policy Options
William R. Cline (Peterson Institute for International Economics)
Guntram Wolff (Bruegel)
Luncheon Speech
George Soros (Soros Fund Management)