Brussels, 07/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 6 October, the heads of state of the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland published an ambitious growth agenda to put the European Union back on track - an agenda that requires tough fiscal discipline from member states as the euro crisis widens.
In a joint letter to Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, the prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, the prime minister of Sweden, Fredrik Reinfeldt, and the prime minister of Finland, Jyrki Katainen, write that the gravity of the crisis facing Europe demonstrates the importance of an EU growth strategy.
The three leaders explain: “We believe that what is most essential is fiscal discipline combined with nationally implemented structural reforms to make public finances sound and sustainable. This is a precondition for stable and sustainable growth.”
“At the same time, healthy structural growth is a precondition for the sustainability of sound public finances. Therefore, a clear and credible commitment to work on an ambitious growth agenda, both at the national and at the EU level, is necessary to get Europe back on track”, explain Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden in the joint letter published on Thursday evening on the Dutch government's website.
They make suggestions about how to stimulate growth in the EU: “Strengthening EU growth and competitiveness requires high levels of ambition on open and competitive markets, innovation, access to finance, smart regulation, green and resource-efficient technologies and a strong single market.” The suggestions have been published ahead of the upcoming European Council summit (17-18 October).
The suggestions set out in the letter are connected with the calls last month by Mark Rutte for an independent European commissioner to be appointed (see EUROPE 10448). The Dutch prime minister called for the institution of a new post, the EU commissioner for the eurozone, who would have the task of ensuring that eurozone countries respected the Stability and Growth Pact. He suggested there could be a commissioner at the European Commission who could take measures against countries that do not respect the agreements, measures that could include reducing EU aid and loss of voting rights. As a last resort, he argued, countries would always have the freedom to leave the eurozone, a freedom they already have at the moment. (LC/transl.fl)