Verdere economische integratie EU (en)
The European Council summit in Brussels decided that new rules of public finance discipline would be implemented through an intergovernmental accord by the 17 countries of the euro area and six other Member States, including Poland. Three further countries are to consult on their possible accession to the new fiscal compact with their national parliaments.
The compact envisages automatic sanctions against countries exceeding the proscribed levels of budget deficit and public debt as well as enshrining the ‘golden rule' of maintaining balanced budgets in national constitutions of all Member States. Furthermore, Member States will also be obliged to submit their initial draft budgets to the European Commission. ‘We want these provisions to become a set of rules followed by all the countries of the EU,’ emphasised Polish Premier Donald Tusk. This is meant to prevent a repetition of the debt crisis that spread from Greece to other countries of the Euroland.
The non-euro countries that have declared their intent to join the fiscal compact include Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Denmark. Hungary, Sweden and the CzechRepublic will hold consultations on joining the compact with their national parliaments, so possibly that a total of 26 Member States may become signatories. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy expects the new mechanism to be ratified by mid-2012.
The euro zone countries and the other Member States decided to fortify the International Monetary Fund with an injection of €200 billion to be used in support of debt-ridden Euroland economies. ‘We have agreed on immediate action to deal with our difficulties. We are increasing financial resources in response to the crisis confronting us. The euro area countries and the other Member States will seek to release additional funds of up to €200 billion for the IMF in July 2012,’ Van Rompuy disclosed. The strengthening of the IMF might take the form of loans by central banks of EU states. Polish Finance Minister Jacek Rostkowski did not rule out such assistance by the National Bank of Poland (NBP).
The European Council deliberations were preceded by the signing of Croatia’s accession treaty. On behalf of Croatia it was signed by President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor. President Van Rompuy, Prime Minister Tusk and representatives of the other Member States signed the document for the Union. The topic of further enlargement - through the accession of Serbia and Montenegro, among others - was also raised. ‘We have declared that it is our aim to grant Serbiacandidate-nation status. The Council will take the decision in December 2012,’ Van Rompuy announced. The opening of negotiations with Montenegro is recommended in 2012.
At a post-summit press conference Prime Minister Tusk commented on the negotiations concerning the EU's multi-annual budget, which will be conducted from January by the incoming Danish Presidency. ‘Despite the crisis and occasional scepticism, we've done some good work over the past six months on the future European budgets: the 2012 budget and the multiannual financial framework. I am confident that the future Danish Presidency, which can count on our help, will work energetically to advance the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework’, Poland’s Prime minister emphasised.
During the joint press conference with European Council President Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Tusk thanked the two men for their cooperation throughout the Polish Presidency. ‘It was priceless’, he emphasized.
EUROPEAN COUNCIL 9 DECEMBER 2011 - CONCLUSIONS
data publikacji: 09-12-2011