Bolkestein veroordeelt loslaten Stabiliteitspact (en)

Internal market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein has described the recent spats over the rules underpinning the euro as "disastrous", according to reports in Dutch business paper NRC Handelsblad.

"If countries do not respect the rules of the Stability Pact, which rules are they going to respect"?, he asked.

Mr Bolkestein's comments come after a stormy meeting of EU finance ministers this week at which France was given extra time to comply with the euro rules - known as the Stability Pact. These rules set a ceiling of three percent for a country's budget deficit but Paris has been in breach of the rules for the past three years.

Individual commissioners were not entitled to vote on the issue, said Mr Bolkestein.

Commission's inferiority complex

The Commissioner believes that the College's soft stance on the Stability Pact is further proof of an "inferiority complex" and the "lack of self-confidence" of the institution against national governments.

He thinks this is largely unnecessary beause the Commission can deliver good work.

"The Commission has competent people, but it structurally lacks self-confidence. Confidence is not something this Commission possesses", said Mr Bolkestein.