EurActiv Logo
EU news & policy debates
- across languages -
Click here for EU news »
EurActiv.com Network

BROWSE ALL SECTIONS

Italian minister backs Hollande's call for economic government

Printer-friendly version
Send by email
Published 17 May 2013

Italy said French President François Hollande's call for a joint European economic government should be considered, Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said on Friday (17 May).

"We take note with satisfaction the French position," Bonino told a news conference. She added Hollande's proposal "must be taken into consideration and must be explored."

Hollande called on Thursday for an economic government for the eurozone with its own budget, the right to borrow, a harmonised tax system and a full-time president.

At a 150-minute news conference marking his first year in office, a day after economic data showed France had slipped into recession, the Socialist leader defended his record on economic reform and budget discipline and told the French people they would have to work "a bit longer" for a full pension in future.

Rebutting criticism that France has lost its leadership role in Europe because of its dwindling economic competitiveness, Hollande said he wanted to create a fully-fledged political European Union within two years.

"It is my responsibility as the leader of a founder member of the European Union... to pull Europe out of this torpor that has gripped it, and to reduce people's disenchantment with it," Hollande said.

"If Europe stays in the state it is now, it could be the end of the project."

He acknowledged he could face resistance from Germany, Europe's dominant power, which opposes mutualising debt among member states. Berlin is also reluctant to give the eurozone its own secretariat for fear of deepening division in the EU, between the 17 members of the single currency and the 10 others.

Hollande said a future euro zone economic government would debate the main political and economic decisions to be taken by member states, harmonise national fiscal and welfare policies, and launch a battle against tax fraud.

He proposed bringing forward planned EU spending to combat record youth unemployment, pushing for an EU-wide transition to renewable energy sources, and envisaged "a budget capacity that would be granted to the euro zone along with the gradual possibility of raising debt".

He also called for a 10-year public investment plan in the digital sector, the promised energy transition, public health and in big transport infrastructure projects.

EurActiv.com with Reuters

COMMENTS

  • In other words Bonino and Hollande want German cash, and lots of it. Always easier to have other people sort out messes of your own making.

    By :
    Charles_M
    - Posted on :
    18/05/2013
  • It is definitely the right path to follow if we want to save the Union. Glad to learn that Ms Bonino, an Italian Minister, is pushing in this direction.

    By :
    Elio PENNISI
    - Posted on :
    20/05/2013
  • In fact this is the beginning to the right direction as even the need of a BONDMARKET too! ANGELA Eurobonds please !!

    By :
    an european
    - Posted on :
    20/05/2013
  • It's time to stop talking about german money like if only this country had contributed to the creation of the european stability fund. For instance if you sum the contribution of France and Italy the result is almost the double of german contrbution! Why does noone talk of french italian money? Stop populism, please!

    By :
    Federalist
    - Posted on :
    21/05/2013
  • So the greatest mistake was to have banned the initial Eu-governement from the Maastricht treaty ! Now they are crying for it ! ironic ....

    By :
    an european
    - Posted on :
    21/05/2013
Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino. Reuters/Remo Casilli
Background: 

Emma Bonino, 65, became Italy's foreign minister last month under the new government formed by Enrico Letta.

Bonino is a long-time Italian politician, having served in the Chamber of Deputies and a vice president of the upper house, the Senate. She also served as a European consumer and humanitarian commissioner in the 1990s and was elected to the European Parliament in 1979, 1984, 1999 and 2004.

More on this topic

More in this section

Advertising

Sponsors

Videos

Euro & Finance News videos

Euractiv Sidebar Video Player for use in section aware blocks.

Euro & Finance Promoted videos

Euractiv Sidebar Video Player for use in section aware blocks.

Advertising

Advertising