Victory for Merkel over fiscal treaty

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 31.1.12
Publication Date 31/01/2012
Content Type

Report of the outcome of the informal European Council summit of EU Heads of State and Government, Brussels, 30 January 2012.

At the informal summit a new Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union was finalised by all EU member states with the exception of the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. The Treaty aimed to strengthen fiscal discipline through the introduction of more automatic sanctions and stricter surveillance, and in particular through the 'balanced budget rule'.

The treaty would be signed in March 2012 and would enter into force once it had been ratified by at least 12 euro area member states. It would be legally binding as an international agreement and will be open to the EU countries which do not sign it at the outset.

The aim was to incorporate the Treaty into EU law within five years of its entry into force.

Related Links
EurActiv, 31.1.12: 25 EU countries sign up to German-led fiscal treaty http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/25-eu-countries-sign-german-led-fiscal-treaty-news-510489
European Council: Statement of the Members of the European Council, 30 January 2012. Towards growth-friendly consolidation and job-friendly growth http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/127599.pdf
EuroGroup, 30.1.12: Communication by euro area Member States http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/127633.pdf
El País, 31.1.12: The Don Quixotes of Brussels (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1464941-don-quixotes-brussels
Spiegel Online International, 31.1.12: EU Summit Marred by Fears of German Domination http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,812398,00.html
EUObserver, 1.2.12: Fiscal treaty stirs political disputes in EU countries http://euobserver.com/19/115090
BBC News, 31.1.12: EU summit: UK and Czechs refuse to join fiscal compact http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16803157
Deutsche Welle, 31.1.12: EU leaders speed up ESM launch, endorse fiscal pact http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15704170,00.html
France24, 31.1.12: European leaders sign treaty on balanced budgets http://www.france24.com/en/20120130-european-union-leaders-sign-deal-limit-overspending
EUObserver, 31.1.12: Czechs abandon EU fiscal pact, for now http://euobserver.com/19/115080
European Council: Highlights: 31.1.12: The fiscal compact ready to be signed http://www.european-council.europa.eu/home-page/highlights/the-fiscal-compact-ready-to-be-signed-%282%29?lang=en
European Council: Press Release, 30.1.12: Agreement on strengthening fiscal discipline and convergence http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/127631.pdf
Der Tagesspiege, 31.1.12: Angela Merkel has gone too far (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/1464371-angela-merkel-has-gone-too-far
Gazeta Wyborcza / Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, 31.1.12: Poland not 100% happy (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/1463451-poland-not-100-happy
Hospodářské noviny, 31.1.12: Prague keeps its distance (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/1463771-prague-keeps-its-distance
BBC News, 31.1.12: The eurozone: Another step http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16806726
EUObserver, 9.2.12: Hollande on collision course with Merkel http://euobserver.com/9/115201

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