Eurozone strikes debt deal

The Financial Times, EurActiv and other news sources reported that Eurozone leaders gave in to fresh demands from the European Commission, Germany and France at an informal Eurozone summit meeting in Brussels, 11 March 2011 to sign up to a competitiveness pact that will prompt eurozone countries to further coordinate their economic policies, as a quid pro quo to increase German-backed bailouts to rescue debt-laden countries such as Ireland and Greece.

Deutsche Welle, 12.3.11: Eurozone leaders agree to strengthen financial safety net http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14906566,00.html

EurActiv, 12.3.11: EU leaders boost bailout fund, agree on euro pact http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/eu-leaders-agree-euro-pact-news-503043

The Economist, 11.3.11: Merkel holds the key (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/543081-merkel-holds-key

EUObserver, 12.3.11: Greece wins eurozone concessions, Ireland rebuffed http://euobserver.com/9/31978

Spiegel Online International, 12.3.11: Euro-Zone Leaders Agree to Expand Rescue Fund http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,750487,00.html

BBC News, 11.3.11: Eurozone 'agrees in principle' on policy co-ordination http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12711183

ESO: Background information: EU pact proposals will ‘not end this crisis’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-pact-proposals-will-not-end-this-crisis/

Council of the European Union: Conclusions of the Heads of State or Government of the Euro Area of 11 March 2011 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/119809.pdf

PressEurop, 10.3.11: A new Trafalgar for Merkel and Sarkozy? http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/540801-new-trafalgar-merkel-and-sarkozy

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