According to Faymann, a social democrat, Europe should avoid lengthy debates on reforming the economic governance of the euro zone.
"Everything that is within the bounds of current legal measures can be used," Faymann said. "But all measures that would require treaty change I find – thinking back to the Lisbon Treaty – hard to imagine in the next two years."
The Commission yesterday (29 September) presented a new set of proposals to toughen sanctions on eurozone budget rule-breakers and disciplinary steps for countries running high debts (EurActiv 30/09/10).
But Faymann believes closer economic policy coordination, not sanctions, will be key to restoring confidence in the euro.
"Early warning systems are very realistic – they act before budgets are even decided upon. They alert us to problems before it is too late and give us the opportunity to intervene in a public debate."
"All other ideas would require treaty change, and I do not believe in that."
Faymann also says Europe should take a "pioneering position" to introduce a financial transaction tax in order to find new sources of funding to plug the budget deficits that were worsened by the economic crisis.
The Austrian chancellor believes "this tax will be introduced because everyone sees that consolidating the budget cannot be done by cutting pensions alone," adding that financial markets "must pay their share" in solving the crisis "because it is the only fair and good solution".
"Should the EU leaders be incapable of doing this, I have a second reason for optimism […] I reckon that the citizens' initiative that is being prepared now will cause enormous pressure from below in the next two or three years."
Regarding the expulsion of Roma in France, Faymann says the issue "ought to be put on the European agenda" and criticised the French policy of offering a 300 euro "bonus" for those who decide to leave the country.
"Why? Bonus systems that are decided in one country are not a European solution. One country cannot pay bonuses to someone for going to another country. This discussion requires more European constructiveness than the proposal made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy."
