10:00 Welcome and introduction

  • Mr Stefano Palmieri, President of the Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO), EESC
  • Mr Luca Jahier, Study Group President, EESC

10:15 Between economic necessity and legal feasibility: Possible reforms of EU fiscal rules without treaty change

Opening addresses:

  • Prof Sebastian Dullien, Director, Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK) on the economic aspects
  • Prof René Repasi, Professor of International and European Union Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam on the legal aspects

Panel discussion with:

  • Mr Marco Buti, Head of Cabinet of the Commissioner for the Economy
  • Mr Thierry Philipponnat, Head of Research & Advocacy, Finance watch
  • Prof Alicia Hinarejos, Faculty of Law, McGill University
  • Prof Marcello Messori, Department of Political Science, LUISS University

Q & A and debate with EESC members and external participants

11:30 More democracy, less technocracy? How to reform EU fiscal governance 

Panel discussion with:

  • Mr Philip Gerson, Deputy Director, European Department, IMF
  • Mr James Watson, Director for Economics, BusinessEurope
  • Mr Lukas Oberndorfer, Policy officer, EU & International Department, Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK)
  • Prof Päivi Leino-Sandberg, Professor of Transnational European Law, University of Helsinki

Q & A and debate with EESC members and external participants

Closing words by Ms Margarida Marques, Member of the European Parliament               

12:45 Summary and conclusions

  • Ms Dominika Biegon, Rapporteur, EESC

13:00 End of the event