Article
MEPs debate results of informal eurozone Summit
Economic and monetary affairs - 24-02-2010 - 18:45
Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, made his debut in the post in the Chamber in Brussels, 24 February
MEPs debated the recent economic summit held by EU leaders, which was dominated by the problems in the eurozone and the Greek deficit. The leader of the largest bloc in Parliament, Joseph Daul of the European People's Party, called for "budgetary coordination" whilst Socialist speaker Stephen Hughes called for urgent measures and rapid budget consolidation. Liberal leader Guy Verhofstadt called "nonsense" a monetary union with no real economic union.
After the Summit in Brussels, EU leaders made a pledge to help Greece in its debt crisis and issued a statement in which they called on the Greek government to implement measures to reduce its budget deficit.
Heads of States also discussed a new EU plan for jobs and growth, the EU 2020 strategy. Parliament will vote in March on a resolution on the follow-up to the summit.
Speaking for the first time in parliament in his capacity as the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said that the present "institutional architecture" of the EU represented an improvement.
The former Belgian prime minister said he would act as a "bridge between national authorities and EU institutions".
No more "business as usual"
The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso told the House that the contraction of the economy and rising unemployment are a threat that must be addressed, as well as the aging population and the productivity gap. He said that "business as usual will not protect the EU way of life" and promised a three-pronged strategy for knowledge-based, inclusive and sustainable growth
Mr Daul said that Europe could not wait for other countries to find themselves in the same position as Greece. He quoted former French Prime Minister Eduard Balladur saying "eurozone countries' economic policy has to be approved by the euro group".
He said that Europe finds itself divided again and must act together rather than clinging to the "false economic sovereignty that each country thinks it still has".
"Let us use the chance to make Europe relevant to people"
For the second largest bloc the Socialists and Democrats, British MEP Stephen Hughes said member states are in a desperate need of solidarity and that "2020 is distant future, we need solutions for immediate problems".
He called for rapid budget consolidation but not savage cuts in public spending such as on health and education. He also doubted a tax rise could achieve the desired result.
Finally he said, "let us use the chance to make Europe relevant to people and not only to markets. 2020 should put people in the heart of European project."
"A European solution"
For the Liberal ALDE group, leader Guy Verhofstadt called for greater economic governance inside the Union. He called for a European solution to the Greek debt crisis. "It is nonsense to have monetary union on the one hand and not to have an economic and social and political union on the other."
For the Greens Rebecca Harms said that if the EU is to show solidarity, a lot has to change in Greece too. She pointed out that 25% of employment is in the public sector. She also stressed that anti-Greek feelings are counter-productive.
"Focus on research, improve universities"
Timothy Kirkhope for the European Conservatives and Reformists said the European economy was losing ground to its competitors even before the crisis. "We should focus on research, improve universities". It is in the interest of our citizens that the 2020 programme creates good jobs.
For the leftist GUE/NGL group Lothar Bisky noted that banks had been saved with billions of euros and that taxpayers' money was used for speculation. He criticised the German authorities for talking about tax relief but at the same time appealing to the Greek government to raise taxes.
The leader of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group Nigel Farage attacked Mr Van Rompuy: "Who are you? I can speak on behalf of the majority of the British people in saying we don't know you, we don't want you..."
REF.: 20100222STO69302