Janis A. Emmanouilidis (2015) “Greece back on centre stage: the results of a déjà vu summit“, European Policy Centre, Post-Summit Analysis, 23 March.
Summary
The March 2015 European Council might not enter history books, but the outcome of an informal ‘mini summit’ between seven EU leaders has the potential to prepare the grounds for a breakthrough in the negotiations between Athens and its lenders. In this post-summit analysis, Janis A. Emmanouilidis argues that the search for a compromise promises to be a cumbersome, time-consuming and nerve-racking exercise. But a solution now seems possible, proving all those doomsayers who have been predicting a ‘Grexit’ or ‘Graccident’ wrong. On other topics, EU leaders committed their countries to build an Energy Union, although questions remain about whether member states will agree to cede sovereignty on a number of significant points. This analysis looks also at the economic issues dealt with at the Spring Summit, with a focus on the perspectives for the European Semester and the Juncker Investment Plan. It ends with a summary of decisions taken on a number of other topics, including relations with Russia and Ukraine, the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit, developments in Libya and in Tunisia, and the endorsement of the Council’s new Secretary General.
Relevant posts:
- Christina Vasilaki (2015) “Euro Summit: Realistic compromise for timely restoration of liquidity“, Brussels Update, Crisis Observatory, 23 March.
- Véron, Ν. (2014) “Euro crisis turning point: Two years of Banking Union – Europe’s leaders avoided their usual muddling-through complacency to do something radical—and it worked!“, Bruegel Institute, 30 June.
- Emmanouilidis A., Janis, “Foretastes of a “new normal”: The results of a low-profile summit-Post”, European Policy Centre Publications, 1 July.