Euractiv.com
12 June 2012
European finance officials have discussed limiting the size of withdrawals from cash machines, imposing border checks and introducing eurozone capital controls as a worst-case scenario should Athens decide to leave the euro.
EU officials have told Reuters the ideas are part of a range of contingency plans. They emphasised that the discussions were merely about being prepared for any eventuality rather than planning for something they expect to happen – no one Reuters has spoken to expects Greece to leave the single currency area.
But with increased political uncertainty in Greece following the inconclusive election on 6 May and ahead of a second election on 17 June, there is now an increased need to have contingencies in place, the EU sources said.
The discussions have taken place in conference calls over the past six weeks, as concerns have grown that a radical-left coalition, Syriza, may win the second election, increasing the risk that Greece could renege on its EU/IMF bailout and therefore move closer to abandoning the currency.
No decisions have been taken on the calls, but members of the Eurogroup Working Group, which consists of eurozone deputy finance ministers and heads of treasury departments, have discussed the options in some detail, the sources said.
Belgium’s finance minister, Steven Vanackere, said at the end of May that it was a function of each eurozone state to be prepared for problems. These discussions have been in that vein, with the specific aim of limiting a bank run or capital flight.
As well as limiting cash withdrawals and imposing capital controls, they have discussed the possibility of suspending the Schengen agreement, which allows for visa-free travel among 26 countries, including most of the European Union.
Read more: EU mulls blocking cash machines, borders in case of ‘Grexit’
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