Euro area topics

Although euro area member states remain in charge of their own economic policies, they coordinate them in order to ensure coherence and stability in the euro area. More information on this policy coordination can be found in the pages about Stability and Growth Pact and Macroeconomic surveillance.

The euro area has taken a wide range of measures to preserve financial stability in response to the global economic and financial crisis. It has created financial support mechanisms such as the permanent European Stability Mechanism to provide financial assistance to its member states.  

At the same time at EU level, supervision of financial institutions has been stepped up and measures have been adopted to boost growth and jobs, in particular through deepening of the single market.

The euro area is further enhancing the coordination of its economic and fiscal policies as laid down by the intergovernmental Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). In addition, European leaders in December 2012 adopted a plan to strengthen EMU.