This can be achieved through monitoring processes, peer pressure as in the case of the Lisbon agenda, constraints and automatic or semi-automatic rules. Efforts in this direction are to be encouraged, bearing in mind that the more automatic the rules, the greater the devolution of sovereignty.
This crisis has shown, however, that the procedures and restraints on public and private behaviour are not always effective. We cannot exclude a housing crisis in one country, excessive private debt in another, a cyclical or trend slowdown in yet another, a gradual loss of competitiveness.