FAQ on the economic governance "six pack"

EP negotiators reached a deal with the Polish Presidency on the economic governance "six pack". This FAQ gives answers to some of the essential questions related to the economic governance six pack deal in anticipation of the plenary vote. The deal overcomes the qualms between the Council and the European Parliament about introducing procedures that will allow the Commission to take action when dealing with Member States with unsustainable budgetary and macro-economic policies.

The package also delivers a system enabling certain distinctions to be drawn between "healthy" and "unhealthy" expenditure, which should be able to contribute to competitiveness and economic growth.  Finally the package will make a break with the past in that it will considerably improve transparency and accountability in Eurozone decision making. 

Over the year long process approaches differed between political groups in the EP and although rapporteurs attempted to bridge the gap, differences remain.  Left-of-centre groups fear that the package is too closely focused on fiscal correction, to the detriment of growth and employment.  The majority however believes that restoring trust is in any case necessary in order to create growth, through other instruments.

The following FAQ provides answers to some of the most common questions as a result of the deal. Questions 2 - 6 tackle the issues which were settled in the closing stages and which therefore require most explanation. Questions 1 and 7 deal with the package in its entirety, providing a holistic view of the goals and the overall achievements of Parliament.