Brussels, 13/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The president of the eurozone has forecast “two difficult years in 2009 and 2010” for the European economy. Jean-Claude Juncker informed the French newspaper, Le Figaro, on Monday 12 January that “there will be a long uphill” path in the economic situation next year, “before a hoped for return to normal in 2011 and 2012”. The Luxembourg prime minister also noted that ten years after the introduction of the single currency (see other article), the eurozone had a “weak point: its low growth potential”. In the context of financing the economy through the banks, Juncker underlined the need to “put pressure” on lending establishments but completely ruled out (at this stage) any binding initiatives. On Monday in Basel at the end of a G10 meeting, AFP reported a more upbeat Jean-Claude Trichet, who declared that “2010 will be an important recovery year” after 2009, where the European economy will “significantly” slow down and where “industrial countries will probably experience figures of negative growth”. The president of the European Central Bank (ECB) believes that economic measures by member states, “proved their efficiency by preventing” a collapse in the financial system. The ECB governing board will meet on Thursday 15 January to examine monetary policy in the context of the most recent economic developments. (M.B./transl.rh)