Brussels, 29/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The report on the economic governance of Europe was “largely bypassed by the position of Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel at the Franco-German summit of Monday 18 October 2010, where they expressed their own visions of economic governance”, the GUE/NGL Group at the European Parliament said on Friday 29 October after the results of the European Council.
Stricter budgetary rules foreseen require “an unacceptable treaty change which will lead to the restriction of the democratic guarantees of the member states via the suspension of the right to vote”, the group states, calling for introduction into the treaty of a “social progress clause”.
Decisions on strengthening economic sanctions and on making them automatic for countries that breach the Stability Pact show that the European leaders are “far removed from the concerns of citizens who are already suffering from the effects of the austerity measures imposed by their governments”, the group states. (L.C./transl.jl)