Italy fact of the day

Italy’s guarantees make up 18 per cent of the [EFSF] system.

That’s Italy as guarantee source, not Italy as recipient!  The bottom line is this:

If you double or treble the size of the EFSF without changing its underlying structure,all you do is double or treble the lack of credibility. If you really want to increase the size of the EFSF without destroying it, then you are left with two options: you have to back it through an unlimited guarantee by the ECB, the only organ in the eurozone that is in a position to give such a commitment. Or you have to change the EFSF’s legal status through the adoption of joint and several liability. This means that member states jointly agree everybody’s debt. The two options ultimately mean the same. The liabilities of the system will be shared jointly by all of its participants. If you want to annoy certain people, you could also call the latter a eurobond.

The article, by Wolfgang Münchau, is excellent throughout.

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