Members of the project hope that future habitants on the planet will be able to harness the wind, water deposits and soil to become self-sufficient.

BBC: Destination Mars on Earth

But Germany will not currently accept guaranteeing deposits or a new fund to wind up failing banks.

BBC: Spain: Resisting a bailout

Yet the ECB only wants the job if it gets new powers, and access to funds, to restructure and wind down ailing banks, all backed by a credible system to guarantee bank deposits.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

In order to secure the 10bn euros, agreed by the EU and IMF, Cyprus was forced to wind up one major bank and write-off of a large portion of secured debt and uninsured deposits in the largest bank, Bank of Cyprus.

BBC: Cyprus to ease citizenship rules for EU bailout losers

Deposits would be guaranteed on a pan-European basis and there would be a fund to wind down big banks.

BBC: Spain: Resisting a bailout