EU doesnt want to lower rates or do an effective QE because Germany had a hyperinflation even 100 years ago that is still stuck in their mind. Personally, I think the last thing EU should be thinking about is hiking rates. Its really a bad situation, the Euro, that is. they have one currency, but several sovereign govts all of which have different work ethics, spending ethics, etc etc. If I was Germany, I would be pissed I was spending to bail out lazy slacker nations. However, they got themselves into it. EU needs to stop kicking the can down the road and just hit it hard like the Fed did here in 2008....or break up the union.