Brussels, 29/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - A revision of the European treaty involving all 27 countries of the EU to reform the eurozone, as officially called for by Paris and Berlin, is likely to be very difficult to achieve due to the stipulations laid down by the United Kingdom, a number of European diplomats admitted on Tuesday 29 November.
“If there was a referendum in Great Britain on changing the treaties” via a modification to the text concerning the 27 countries of the bloc, “let's face it, it would be difficult to come out with a positive response”, said a diplomat, quoted by AFP. The Franco-German tandem wants to make proposals to change the governance of the eurozone, in order, amongst other things, to toughen joint budgetary discipline and possibly to harmonise certain policies, particularly tax policy. The ambition is to bring in greater discipline and solidarity in order to face the debt crisis, a spokesperson to the French government, Valérie Pécresse, stated on Tuesday morning. First of all, Berlin and Paris wish to try making progress through a reform of the Lisbon Treaty, which governs the European Union as a whole; this could be a risky procedure as it requires unanimity among the member states. As a result, if this proves too complicated, the idea of an intergovernmental agreement reserved just for the 17 countries of the monetary union is gaining ground, or even a reinforced stability Pact for just a few countries of the eurozone. (LC/transl.fl)