EU foreign ministers discuss integration

Report of the 'interim report' of a group of ten EU Foreign Ministers (Germany + France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg), June 2012 intended to stimulate debate on radical new steps towards political union to be launched by EU leaders at the European Council summit later in June 2012. It was also hoped that the report would galvanise thinking in other member states about steps towards 'political union' as an essential underpinning of economic and monetary union.

The ministers backed a 'three pillar' approach to resolving the eurozone crisis, combining budget consolidation, boosting economic growth and competitiveness, and solidarity, a significant rebalancing of the traditional German emphasis on budget discipline as a precondition for the other two.

ESO: Background information: Ministers ponder creation of EU super-president http://www.europeansources.info/record/ministers-ponder-creation-of-eu-super-president/

EUObserver, 21.6.12: Lukewarm support for EU super-president http://euobserver.com/18/116713

Foreign Ministers’ group on the Future of Europe: Chairman’s Statement for an Interim Report, 15.6.12: The time for a debate on the Future of Europe is now http://euobserver.com/media/src/3f1d57b5e556a953646816f85eec29ab.pdf

The Economist, 24.9.12: Charlemagne: SimEurope is not a game (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/2735761-simeurope-not-game

Süddeutsche Zeitung, 18.9.12: “Future of Europe Group” presents federal proposals (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2715101-future-europe-group-presents-federal-proposals

BBC News, 18.9.12: Future of Europe Group plans closer EU integration http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19638337

EurActiv, 19.9.12: ‘Future of Europe group’ bids for foreign policy, defence clout http://www.euractiv.com/future-eu/future-europe-group-tables-propo-news-514876

Foreign Ministers’ group on the Future of Europe: Final Report of the Future of Europe Group, September 2012 http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/cae/servlet/contentblob/626338/publicationFile/171843/120918-Abschlussbericht-Zukunftsgruppe.pdf

ESO: Background information: Barroso calls for EU ‘federation’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/barroso-calls-for-eu-federation/

ESO: Background information: Issues Paper on Completing Economic and Monetary Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/issues-paper-on-completing-economic-and-monetary-union/

ESO: Background information: The Euro Debate in Germany: Towards Political Union? http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-euro-debate-in-germany-towards-political-union/

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