How to exit the euro in a nutshell – ‘Il Piano Savona’

Italy’s new Minister for EU affairs Paolo Savona is the main author of an eight-point plan for Italy’s exit from the euro. In this opinion piece EconPol expert Daniel Gros sheds some light on the Italian government’s strategy. In his view, the Plan seems designed to confirm Germany’s worst fears: exit would be accompanied by a massive default on public debt, including foreign official debt like Target2 balances. But the Plan would also enable rich Italians who have considerable assets abroad to hold onto their euros tax-free.