Stronger European economic governance and tougher rules for the Stability Pact needed

Published: 25 February 2010 y., Thursday

Eurai
The EMU framework and economic governance within the eurozone need to be revamped. This was one of the main messages to come out of a draft resolution on the euro area and public finances adopted on Tuesday by Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.
The resolution, which the EP adopts annually, covers monetary policy, economic governance and this year also the situation of public finances.

MEPs note the absence of effective mechanisms to prevent the growth of imbalances in the eurozone and ask the Commission to examine ways of preventing future excessive growth of these imbalances and the asymmetric shocks to which they contribute.  It also calls for significant improvement of economic governance in the eurozone, particularly by developing binding commitments between governments.  Moreover, the resolution repeats the Commission's view that a strengthening of macroeconomic surveillance is urgently needed.

On public finances, the resolution calls for greater efforts to be made on fiscal coordination than what is required by the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), which only covers deficits and debt.  The committee believes these criteria are only some of the causes of economic imbalances and that all factors have to be taken on board.  In addition, the SGP must be applied more rigidly than it has been during periods of growth to make sure the Member States do not overspend.

As a solution to reducing the high cost some Member States are facing with repaying their public debt, the draft resolution proposes the idea of issuing eurobonds.

Addressing the specific situation of Greece, the committee says this case should serve as a lesson when future enlargements of the eurozone are being planned.  It also asks that particular attention be paid to the quality of the statistics of the aspiring eurozone countries.

 

Šaltinis: europa.eu
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Commission closes investigation into agreement between Bratislava Airport and Ryanair

The European Commission has today decided to close the formal investigation procedure into the agreement between Bratislava Airport in Slovakia and Ryanair after concluding that the airport operator acted as a market economy investor and therefore no advantage has been granted to Ryanair. more »

Jamaica: Agriculture Ministry and World Bank to Assess Weather-Risk Model for Coffee Industry

The coffee industry of Jamaica represents one the largest earners of foreign exchange, approximately US$30 million in 2008. more »

IMF Executive Board Concludes 2009 Article IV Consultation with Mauritius

On January 13, 2010, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Mauritius. more »

IMF and World Bank Announce US$1.6 Billion in Debt Relief to Afghanistan

The World Bank's International Development Association and the International Monetary Fund have agreed to support US$1.6 billion in debt relief for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. more »

New study on "Public Goods provided by Agriculture in the European Union"

The Common Agricultural Policy plays a critical role in helping farmers to deliver environmental goods and services, provided that policies are targeted in the right way. more »

Commissioner Samecki encourages Croatia to use EU investment as a launch-pad for growth

Regional Policy Commissioner Paweł Samecki will meet Croatia's Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and members of her government in Zagreb on 25-26 January to discuss the country's preparations for accession in the context of the EU cohesion policy. more »

Dominican Republic: World Bank approves US$20 Million to Foster Local Development through Municipalities

The World Bank Board of Directors today approved US$20 million for the Dominican Republic in support of the Municipal Development Project, which aims to improve the technical and financial capacity of local governments. more »

EIB supports with EUR 400 million development of automotive sector in Romania

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 400 million to Ford Romania SA for the expansion and refurbishment of the company’s existing car assembly plant located in Craiova in the South-West of Romania. more »

The Agriculture Council studies ways to improve the functioning of the food supply chain

The Agriculture Council of the European Union has examined ways to improve the functioning of the food supply chain with the ultimate aim of controlling the fluctuation in prices and ensuring a more equitative distribution of the added value throughout the chain. more »

806 construction workers in Lithuania to receive help from EU Globalisation Fund

The European Commission has today approved an application from Lithuania for assistance under the Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). more »