In a letter addressed to EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, who is currently chairing a high-level task force on reforming European economic governance, the finance ministers of Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden stressed that any decision on the coordination of national economic policies should take into account pension reforms.
"The Commission services and Commissioner Rehn are analysing the proposals put forward [...] and answers will be drafted over the next few days, before the next meeting of the task force on 6 September," Commission spokesman for economic and monetary affairs Amadeu Altafaj told EU journalists.
He said the Commission, which is the guardian of EU rules, had no clear position on the issue yet.
"All I can say is that it is a relevant topic: it needs to be addressed now because we are in the process of discussing various elements of economic governance," Altafaj said.
"Of course the Commission would like the criteria on public debt to be strengthened and to be taken more seriously, so it is highly relevant that this matter be raised now."
EU finance ministers are to meet on 6 September to continue their discussions on how to change EU budget rules to prevent future debt crises like the one triggered by Greece.
(EurActiv with Reuters.)
