About: fiscal discipline
In blow to Eurogroup head, EU Commission criticises Portugal’s budget
The European Commission said on Wednesday (15 January) that Portugal's draft budget for 2020 was at risk of breaking European Union fiscal rules because of insufficient progress in reducing its structural deficit.
Commission’s top advisor championed market ‘discipline’ in crisis years
Niels Thygesen, the new chair of the European Fiscal Board, called for “ambiguity” in the eurozone’s rescue mechanisms in order to let investors “impose discipline” on national governments.
Brussels piles pressure on Spain and Italy to balance their budgets
The European Commission will send a series of warnings to Spain, Italy, Finland, Romania and Belgium today (8 March) because of their “serious” deviations from agreed-on fiscal paths, EURACTIV.com has learned.
Portuguese budget gets green light – after last-minute adjustments
The EU Commission accepted on Friday (5 February) the draft proposal from Portugal for the country's 2016 budget - but only after Lisbon included last-minute adjustments and following an intense discussion in an extraordinary meeting the college of commissioners.
Member states limit new flexibility clauses in EU fiscal pact
EXCLUSIVE / EU member states believe the European Commission is giving too much breathing space to struggling national economies when applying the Stability and Growth Pact, and decided to adopt a more restrictive view of EU fiscal rules, according to an official paper seen by EURACTIV.
Commission defends role as sole guardian of fiscal discipline
Amid growing concerns in Berlin, Frankfurt and The Hague about flexible interpretations of the Stability and Growth Pact, the European Commission ruled out the possibility of transfering the assessment of national budgets to an independent external body.
EU spending needs an independent watchdog
You will not find many people in Brussels arguing that the EU's budgetary procedure works well. The latest collapse of talks between the parliament and council on the 2015 budget highlight the need for reform, writes Richard Ashworth.
Finnish PM Katainen seen jockeying for top EU position
Addressing the European Parliament today (16 April) in Strasbourg, Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen pleaded for the new concept of “fair integration”, which he said would keep the EU safe from the twin threats of nationalism and populism. Many MEPs saw his speech as a jockeying exercise for one of the EU's top jobs, which will be up for grabs in 2014.
EU braced for ‘ideological summit’ on austerity v growth
An EU summit opening in Brussels today (14 March) is expected to see leaders offer conflicting views on the economy, with France’s Socialist President François Hollande leading calls for Europe to loosen the austerity policies adopted in response to the eurozone debt crisis. Hollande will find an unexpected ally in UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who also backs a more “flexible” approach to debt policing.
Fiscal treaty splits Dutch parties ahead of election
The euro's new fiscal pact has become a political football in the Netherlands ahead of September elections, with Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager dismissing opposition suggestions it should reject the treaty.
Question marks over €120 billion EU ‘growth pact’
EU heads of state agreed a "European Growth Pact" worth €120 billion at a summit in Brussels, which closed on Friday (29 June). But doubts have been raised about how fresh the money will really be as at least half of the sums will be recycled from existing regional policy funds. EURACTIV France reports.
MEPs give green light to negotiate new fiscal discipline package
The European Parliament approved yesterday (13 June) an economic governance package that foresees setting up a redemption fund to help countries in financial trouble and gives more power to the EU to control national budgetary and economic policies. That gives a clear mandate to start negotiations with EU ministers that are expected to last for months.
Dutch government teeters over budget row
The government of the Netherlands has narrowly escaped collapse as negotiations over deficit reduction have resumed between Mark Rutte's Liberal-Conservative coalition and Geert Wilders’s far-right Party of Freedom.
EU tables pensions plan, but it is ‘not ambitious enough’
The European Commission’s proposals on pensions presented yesterday (16 February) by the EU employment and social affairs chief, László Andor, was met by a flurry of criticism.
Van Rompuy tables blueprint for eurozone ‘fiscal pact’
There are quicker ways to save the euro than modifying the EU treaties, says European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in a paper to be discussed at a crunch European summit on Thursday. EURACTIV provides the text of the blueprint.