In spite of recent decisions by European fiscal and monetary authorities, sovereign debt markets continue to experience considerable stress. Europe must formulate a strong and systemic response to the crisis, to send a clear message to global markets and European citizens of our political commitment to economic and monetary union, and the irreversibility of the euro.

This can be achieved by launching E-bonds, or European sovereign bonds, issued by a European Debt Agency (EDA) as successor to the current European Financial Stability Facility. Time is of the essence. The European Council could move as early as this month to create such an agency, with a mandate gradually to reach an amount of outstanding paper equivalent to 40 per cent of the gross domestic product of the European Union and of each member state.

That would bring sufficient size for it to become the most important bond market in Europe, progressively reaching a liquidity comparable to that of US Treasuries. But to ensure this happens, two further steps must be taken. First, the EDA should finance up to 50 per cent of issuances by EU members, to create a deep and liquid market. In exceptional circumstances, for member states whose access to debt markets is impaired, up to 100 per cent could be financed in this way. Second,the EDA should offer a switch between E-bonds and existing national bonds.