Bernard Cazeneuve, France's new Europe minister, said there should be "no taboo subjects" when EU leaders meet on 28 June to discuss measures to kick-start the EU's sluggish economy.

Chief among those is Eurobonds, which France wants to introduce rapidly as a way to mutualise debt in the euro zone and reduce the borrowing costs of the most fragile economies like Spain and Italy.

As news commentators focus on whether Greece should leave the eurozone, Martin Schulz, sees the European Union in a democratic crisis.

In a speech at Humboldt University in Berlin last Thursday (May 24th), he warned that European democracy faces challenges from various sides.

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Audronius Azubalis

Audronius Azubalis

Tue, 2010-12-14 10:37

• global-europe

Audronius Ažubalis is Lithuania's foreign minister. He was speaking to EurActiv Germany's Daniel Tost.

In a recent interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, you stated that Lithuania supported Germany's position on the fiscal treaty and that those criticising the treaty are not offering anything else. Was this directed at François Hollande?

 If successful, the pilot could be rolled out at a much bigger scale in the 2014-2020 EU budget.

The EU will set aside €230 million in guarantees to support the issuance of project bonds for infrastructure under a deal concluded by MEPs and EU governments in Strasbourg.  

Germany said it would remain firm in its opposition to Eurobonds at today’s EU summit, but has given its blessing to prepare the smaller-scale project bonds.

The summit was convened to assess the political landscape following the election of French President François Hollande and to pave the way for an official Council meeting at the end of June.

Uncontroversial issues on boosting trade and youth employment by implementing existing EU policies will make way for a no-holds-barred debate as leaders take up Council President Herman Van Rompuy’s offer for a summit discussion with “no taboos”.

"A la veille de la rencontre informelle des dirigeants européens, et alors que s'ouvre la campagne législative en France, l'élection du président Hollande suscite beaucoup d’espoir. Parce qu'il a eu le courage de porter un message de résistance à l'austérité généralisée, François Hollande ouvre une nouvelle ère pour l'Europe : celle de la croissance  et de l’emploi durables.