This plan provides a common framework for the efforts made by Member States and by the EU, with a view to ensuring consistency and maximising their effectiveness, always in accordance with and within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pact. In addition, other types of fiscal measures are currently at work.
As the economic crisis has deepened, a significant contribution to the fiscal adjustment may come from the so-called automatic stabilisers. These are programmes linked to social security and unemployment benefits, which are generally more comprehensive in Europe than in the US.