Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
EU launches new era of tighter economic governance
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Top Stories
Most Popular
Photos
Full Coverage
Sitemap
EU launches new era of tighter economic governance
AFP - Thursday, January 13
Send
IM Story
Print
EU launches new era of tighter economic governance
BRUSSELS (AFP) - – Europe pressed governments to slice deficits and step up difficult structural reforms such as raising the retirement age as it kicked off a new era of tighter EU-wide economic governance on Wednesday.
"We are setting out to break new ground and to decisively improve the way in which we manage and coordinate our interdependent economies," said European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
The move to tighten coordination across the 27-nation bloc, including the 17 eurozone states, aims to secure recovery after the global crisis, but more particularly break the manic cycle of debt drama unsettling Europe.
In an opening move, the EU's executive arm, the European Commission, issued a first-ever Annual Growth Survey setting out 10 priorities, from reining in public debt to labour market reform.
Its recommendations, requiring tailor-made solutions for states, are to be integrated into 2011 budgetary plans by EU nations which in April, for the first time ever, must submit budgets to the Commission for approval.
"We have learned in this crisis that prevention is always better than correction," said Olli Rehn, the commissioner for economic affairs. "That's why we have proposed a profound, fundamental reform of economic governance in Europe."
The Growth Survey kicking off a new six-month EU model towards single economic governance, titled the "European Semester", had harsh warnings for the future.
"In the absence of resolute policies, potential growth is likely to remain weak, at around 1.5 percent, in the coming decade, compared with 1.8 percent in 2001-2010," it warned.
The growth outlook was even worse in the euro area, at 1.25 percent compared to average potential growth of 1.6 percent in 2001-2010.
Debt was expected to swell to 79 percent of GDP in 2010, some 20 points above pre-crisis levels in 2007, with unemployment at almost 10 percent last year in comparison to seven percent in 2007.
"Europe urgently needs structural reforms that permanently boost our capacity to create jobs, increase productivity and ensure sustainable debt," said Rehn. But "there is insufficient ambition and a lack of urgency in implementation."
Among measures proposed by the survey are fiscal cuts, reform of the banking sector and potentially explosive labour reforms, including cuts in employer social security contributions, greater flexibility and increase in the statutory retirement age.
The average retirement age in the EU was 61.4 years old in 2008 but pension reform is a hot button issue, with moves in Greece and France to raise the retirement last year causing massive strikes and protests.
The move towards six-monthly coordination was agreed in 2010 to avoid the budgetary debacles that led to multi-billion-euro bailouts of Greece and Ireland and is currently widening out to lap at Portugal, and possibly Spain.
The bloc's Stability and Growth Pact requires governments to keep public deficits under 3.0 percent of GPD and debt at no more than 60 percent of GDP.
It also calls for a reduction of structural budget deficit by 0.5 percent of GDP every year.
But the commission said the target "would clearly be insufficient in many EU member states to bring the debt to GDP ratio close to the Treaty-based threshold of 60.0 in the foreseeable future."
The three main areas listed for action in the survey were fiscal consolidation for enhancing macroeconomic stability, structural reforms for higher employment and growth enhancing measures.
2011, said Rehn, "could be the year that Europe overcame the sovereign debt crisis, lifts its growth potential and reforms its economic governance".
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
News Search
Top Stories
Portugal claims success in bond sale
EU launches new era of tighter economic governance
Lebanon's unity government collapses
EU divided over debt crisis fund boost
Haitians grieve on quake anniversary
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Falling blackbirds baffle Arkansas officials
Hasta la Vista: Arnie quits as California governor
Goldman deal 'values Facebook at $50 billion'
Spain lotto winner nearly loses millions by tossing tickets
Brazil's 2010 trade surplus lowest in 8 years: official
More Most Viewed »
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network
Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Thursday, 13 January 2011 Hezbollah, allies quit Lebanese goverment
UK confidence in online shopping rattled by snow: poll
Hezbollah forces Lebanon government collapse
Portugal claims success in bond sale
EU launches new era of tighter economic governance
Fujitsu unveils 'world's first' glasses-free 3D PC
Lebanon's unity government collapses
Attacks in Afghanistan kill 5 NATO troops
EU divided over debt crisis fund boost
NATO: 5 service members killed in Afghanistan
Haitians grieve on quake anniversary
At least 127 dead as rains pummel Brazil regions
|
Gaza militants say to halt rocket fire at Israel
|
Qatar restore pride with China victory
Five more killed in Tunisia clashes: witnesses
|
China bans German pork, egg imports
China says stealth jet test flight not a threat
|
Biden tells Pakistan: 'We are not the enemy of Islam'
Djeparov fires Uzbeks towards Asian Cup quarters
Divided you will fail, Loach warns Palestinians
Crew under pressure to land Kaczynski plane: Russia
|
Two Thais in Cambodia court on spying charges
Russian spy Anna Chapman to host TV show
U.N. says Gbagbo-backers loot food convoy in Abidjan
|
N. Korea reopens border hotline with S. Korea
Book tells inspiring tale behind King's Speech film
U.S. Vice President Biden warns against Pakistan extremism
England win thriller to set T20 record
Geithner urges China reform ahead of Hu visit
Nvidia shares surge 12 percent, extend rally
|
Pakistani stocks end up; rupee firms; o/n rates flat
IBM, Samsung to jointly develop chip technology
|
Clearwire shares rise on hopes of funding deal
|
Activist manager sells Cisco shares on rights concerns
|
Wikipedia, 10 years old, targets India for growth
|
Demand Media moves ahead with $112.5 million IPO
|
Toyota to make lithium batteries for hybrids: Nikkei
|
John Travolta and Kelly Preston show off new baby
|
Seth Rogen, Jay Chou dish on new Green Hornet
|
German firm develops Internet eraser for photos
David Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet TV family dies
|
Ten years on, Wikipedia eyes a better world
US-TECH Summary
Clearwire shares rise on hopes of funding deal
News Corp., Apple to unveil 'The Daily' next week
Demand Media moves ahead with $112.5 million IPO
Lebanon plunged into uncertainty as government falls
Spain faces first big debt test of 2011
Brisbane avoids worst in floods but sees years of rebuilding
|
YouTube mobile video viewing tops 200 mln a day
Hezbollah and allies resign, toppling Lebanon government
Lebanon plunged into uncertainty as government falls
|
Prince Harry eyes North Pole trek
PC sales growth slows in fourth quarter: Gartner
Afghan police: Explosion reported in Jalalabad
Hezbollah forces Lebanon govt collapse
Ivory Coast army seals off pro-Ouattara area, bars U.N.
|
Russia blames Polish pressure for Kaczynski crash
Investors bet on Nvidia's new mobile chips
U.S. agencies believe Iran's nuclear efforts have slowed
Haitians recall 2010 quake hell as death toll upped
|
PC shipment growth lackluster in Q4
World Bank sees 2008 risks for global economy
Taylor Swift Scores Lowest-Selling #1 Album On The Billboard Albums Chart With "Speak Now"
2010 ties 2005 for warmest year on record: US
Egypt Christians clash with police over shooting
Google turns Android smartphones into interpreters
U.S. agencies believe Iran's nuclear efforts have slowed
|
Global economy to slow in 2011: World Bank
Philippine floods, landslides kill 42
|
Citing rights failings, firm divests Cisco holdings
Gaza militants say to halt rocket fire at Israel
Blackpool pile on agony for Liverpool in Premier League
Mobile airwaves seen key to U.S. competitiveness
Special Report: Vietnam capitalist roaders follow China's trail
|
Palestinian fails in bid to win control of settlement
Ultimate Software looks at selling itself: sources
A Kuwaiti PM in first Iraq visit since war
Winter brings fiery killer into Afghan homes
|
Wikipedia, 10 years old, targets India
At least 270 dead in Brazil floods
|
IBM, Samsung to jointly develop chip technology
Japan PM to tap fiscal hawk in new line-up: report
|
N. Korea must act to defuse tensions: Gates
Bob Geldof is keynote speaker at South by Southwest
Brisbane a 'war zone' as huge flood smashes city
Edward Furlong scraps trip after latest arrest
Japan PM to tap fiscal hawk in new line-up
Imam criticised for NY mosque embarks on U.S. speaking tour
N. Korea's uranium for making bombs: South
Obama leads mourning of Arizona shooting victims
Factbox
Brisbane avoids worst in floods, sees years of rebuilding
Obama visits wounded U.S. Congresswoman Giffords
Hard times make way for fuller-figured lingerie
China says shares U.S. goals on Korea as hotline reopens
Texan builds artful, green homes out of trash
News Corp says looking at spinout or sale of MySpace
|
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Biden in Baghdad to meet Maliki: WHouse
Brisbane flood peaks well below expected high: officials
Minimum and maximum temperatures in Celsius
Investors bet on Nvidia's new mobile chips
|
Showtime cable network passes on "Kennedys"
Australia rebuilding task 'of postwar proportions'
Disruptive Arizona suspect axed from online group
Bob Geldof is keynote speaker at South by Southwest
Mobile airwaves seen key to U.S. competitiveness
|
US 'not the enemy of Islam' says Biden
Edward Furlong scraps trip after latest arrest
World Bank says China has room for more rate hikes
PC shipment growth lackluster in Q4
|
S. Korea raises key rate, moves against inflation
Taiwan capital to levy 'luxury residence' tax
Ultimate Software looks at selling itself: sources
|
Carmakers target inland China to maintain growth
Seoul shares end down amid options expiry
HIGHLIGHTS-Bank of Korea chief's comments at news conference
Japan PM taps fiscal hawk in cabinet shake-up
India's Infosys reports 14.1% net profit rise
Tyler Perry nabs 19 NAACP Image Award nominations
WRAPUP 1-S.Korea steps up inflation battle, raises rates
"Green Hornet" never reaches top speed
Pakistan
Obama Visits Hospital, Meets With Injured And Families
Conan feels liberated after year of tumult
The Game Scores Huge Ratings For BET
Katie Holmes new face of Ann Taylor clothing
"The Big Bang Theory" Renewed For Three More Years
The need of the hour is return of sanity, remembering that we are one"
Chinas stealth jet fighter sends signal about its military power
Facebook paid $8.5 million for fb.com domain
Somber mood as Tucson prepares to welcome President Obama
Study: Energy drinks don't lessen effects of alcohol
AP, Fairey copyright case involving Obama's image dismissed
Principal at NYC prep school fired over affair with 18-year-old ex-student
Conan feels liberated after year of tumult
|
Edward Furlong scraps trip after latest arrest
|
Green Hornet never reaches top speed
|
Tyler Perry nabs 19 NAACP Image Award nominations
|
Showtime cable network passes on Kennedys
|
Bob Geldof is keynote speaker at South by Southwest
|
Three actors exit Law & Order: Los Angeles series
|
Book tells inspiring tale behind King's Speech film
|
David Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet TV family dies
|
British health tech startups seek US foothold
Lebanon in political turmoil as govt collapses
Spotify, Shazam tie up on finding and buying music
Ship carrying acid overturns in Germany: police
Analysis: a year after China retreat, Google plots new growth
RIM gives India access but not to secure e-mails
Violent clashes spread to centre of Tunisian capital
|
Prize-winning Korean director shoots iPhone film
Iran's nuclear sites tour proposal flounders
|
News Corp says looking at spinout or sale of MySpace
Gates warns on North Korea, eyes Japan ties
|
U.S. and European officials warn Belarus after crackdown
|
In France, far right seizes on Muslim street prayers
|
Iran's nuclear sites tour proposal flounders
Japan boss: Asian Cup like Champions League
Cambodian court grants bail to 2 Thais
More foreign film shooting in Thailand expected
ANALYSIS: Leadership a vexing issue for Thailand's opposition party
Analysis: A year after China retreat, Google plots new growth
|
US envoy blasts China, India on WTO talks progress
Rain washes out tennis at Kooyong Classic
Pakistani stocks end on 31-mth high; rupee flat
AT&T to take Q4 $2.7 billion charge on accounting change
|
RIM gives India access but not to secure e-mails
|
Pakistan's forex reserves fall to $17.09 bln
Ultimate Software says no current plans for sale
|
BlackBerry announces answer to India security fear
MTS estimates 2010 Russia handset sales rose 25 percent
|
POSCO posts sharp drop in profit
Prize-winning Korean director shoots iPhone film
|
Police halt body recovery at N. Zealand mine
South Korea steps up inflation battle, raises rates
Frenchman held in Indonesia over drugs: official
Prize-winning Korean director shoots iPhone film
China's Li into Sydney tennis final
Troubled Indonesia budget airline halts operations
Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Eminem To Perform On The Grammys
Judge says Homeland Security can keep scanned image secrets
Study: Antibiotics best treatment for toddlers with ear infections
Snow covers 71 percent of U.S.
AIG to sell Taiwan business for $2.16 billion
California man charged with threatening Washington congressman
Prize-winning Korean director shoots iPhone film
|
Nude housekeeper on trial for stabbing client to death
Space observatory finds smallest Earth-like planet outside solar system
Japan firm launches mirror thermometer for detecting flu
Laos opens first stock exchange
Cuba registering first lung cancer vaccine in South America
Seattle 'superhero' attacked over the weekend, thugs break his nose
Its a Bird, Its a Shark, Its a Mossad Spy
Saudi court sentences woman to 3 years for torturing, mutilating Indonesian maid
Forget gossip: Facebook will not shut down March 15
'Butt dial' sends SWAT team to school
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights