newsitems

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Greek Prime Minister Costas Papademos, r plying to an "EuroFora"'s question, after Marathon meetings up to 2 o'clock after MidNight, with EU Commission, ECB and €uroGroup President Juncker, did not deny German Chancellor Merkel's reminder that a kind of "Monitoring" had already been foreseen by the October 2011 Agreement, in an attempt to help ensure its implementation, independently of these days' row about or against imposing to the country a "Tutor", as some called certain proposals of proactive supervision, raising "hot" issues of "sovereignity", etc.           

 
The experienced former ECB's vice-President, simply replied to "EuroFora"s observation that "Chancellor Merkel pointed out that a sort of Monitoring had already been foreseen by the October 2011 deal", without any denial, but merely by sticking to his line that "we did not discuss (during the EU Summit in Brussels) these points", i.e. apparently leaving an horizon open for some kind of jointly agreed, adsequate Supervision mechanism..

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French President Sarkozy :
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In an obvious attempt to calm last week-end's tension, and respect each others' views, searching an efficient way to find a positive solution, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, replying earlier to Press' questions, in an exceptionaly brief meeting with Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora", tried to make a crystal-clear Distinction :

- Questioned by another journalist if he believes that the decisions on redressing the country's financial situation should be taken by Brussels or managed in Athens, Sarkozy replied from the point of view of general Principles, in a balanced way :

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
- "It's out of question  : Greece's settlement can't be materialized but only by Greeks themselves, Democratically (i.e. by Elections),.. It's a Sovereign Country"  Sarkozy stressed from the outset.

+ But "they must respect the promisses that they have given", he added.
=> "In consequence, it's WITH them that things have to be done", he advised.           

                          
F.ex., "it's absolutely normal to have a Supervision, stage by stage, of the commitments undertakien by the Greeks",

 - "But it's out of question to place any Country, whatever, under a Tutorship""

"By the way, we spoke with the (German) Chancellor  (Merkel), and I can tell you that this is, precisesly, her stance, as she descriibed it to me. .. What you said (about "Tutors", etc), is not a position expressed, and even less supported, by Chancellor Merkel", he clarified.

 - "Nobody can place a Country under a Tutor, and manage it from outside. This wouldn't be reasonable, it couldn't be democratic,n and it wouldn't be efficient", Sarkozy concluded.

+ But, "this doesn't mean that there shouldn't be a Supervision of commitments", he clearly distinguished.

Meanwhile, the Greek Prime Minister gave us (at the EU Summit) a Report on the situation... , which wasn't discussed", Sarkozy went on to add.

                                                        
What I can tell you is that negotiations advance towards a positive Direction, and we (EU) have good reasons to hope that there will be a final Agreement, let's say, during the forthcoming Days", he simply said, (carefuly avoiding any negative wording, as he observed afterwards).

Sarkozy also said that it had not yet been fixed if final Decisions on Greece might be taken simply through the Ministers of Finance, or by a Heads of State/Government Summit, (f.ex. on March).

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German Chancellor Merkel :
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Meanwhile, questioned by many Journalists on Greece, the German Chancellor Angie Merkel, revealed that

   - "Immediately after the (EU Council) meeting, I rushed to the Press Conference, so that I can't tell you what is  really going on in a parallel meeting, where participate the EU Presidency, EU Commission, ECB, and (€uroGroup Chairman, Luxembourg's Prime Minister) Jean-Claude Juncker are speaking with the Greek Prime Minister,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
I think it's only appropriate.. The Troika is now in Greece, and we (EU) said that we must have this New Package as soon as possible,

>>> - "As regards the Monitoring Mechanism, we do need Monitoring on the package for Greece", Merkel stressed from the outset.

- In fact, already, "as we agreed on the 26th of October 2011,   EU Commission, together with the other Troika Partners, wil set up, for the duration of the program, a Monitoring process, which includes International Experts, Greek Experts, so that there may be as close Coordination as possible between the Greek Government and the Troika, which is to ensure the Fuil Implementation of the Program".

- "So, we already included, in our October 2011 conclusions, at the time, a Monitoring mechanism, that we are trying now to think how we could make it more Effective", the German Chancellor simply and logically added.  

- Therefore,  "it's not a Qualitatively New step. It' always keeping with the Spirit that we want to help Greece to come back to the path that enables it to stand on its own feet.

But, when we look at the somewhat emotional Debate (of last Week-end : See supra), it's more important to come to a Conclusion :

*- "The Greek Government will have to give its contribution to make this possible, and also, it's important, now that Elections (in Greece) are coming closer, that the Greek Parties subscribe to this program, (that) they feel a commitment to this program. The private Sector is participating in this, and it's also important that other partners stand by their commitments", she concluded, (but leaving apparently open the question how exactly this should be done).

=> "Still, it's in the Spirit of the Conclusions of the 26th of October 2011  That's how we are going to conclude this", Chancellor Merkel stressed.
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+ Questioned by an Irish Media, "If this Monitoring was really scheduled since October 2011, then, why had you to wait until January 2012 in order to speak about it ? And, is Greece so special, or would you propose to use the same Monitoring procedure also with other Countries ?", the German Chancellor became sharper :

- That case affecting "Greece has special features,  is special", Merkel stressed.

 - "In the sense that there is a Private sector involvement. That the sustainability of its Debt is particularly bad, and that is also very important, + And this Monitoring is only necessary  if a country, as regards the outcome of reviews,  has been found not to implement its Program, not to abide by the rules, and this was the case of Greece'(s PASOK Governments), but not for Ireland, (etc).

=> "That's why we discussed this special Monitoring process"

>>> "So, Greece is a special case, also in the sense that we (EU) also think that they can make it !" (i.e. succeed).

- "But, there are 2 particular features : Namely the PSI, and also the fact that they have not implemented the program.   So that, if it comes, in a next review, that the outcome again finds that certain things have not yet been implemented again, then for those Countries who are ready to put up Funds, for the Financing of this Program,  then, there is a great deal of Frustration."

- "And there are Questions that we have to answer. We have Parliaments back Home, we are accountable to them. We (EU Leaders) also want to be Succesful".

"If the Troika had told us that everything is on track, then we'd not probably have to say that it's so special. But, Reality has a way of catching up with you, there.

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 + Questioned on the "outstanding ISSUES that will have to be resolved", and "where improvement is necessary ?", (according to "Interim Reports" sent meanwhile by the Troika), Merkel focused on the fundamentals  :

- "There was one Debate that I found a little bit Curious, over the week-end, and a bit Misleading :

>>> - "If one has Greece'sd Program going more and more Expensive, then, one has to reflect on what one does", she explained.

- "We (EU) want Debt Sustainability in 2020 for Greece of about 120%.", she reminded.

- But, "Once a Program gets more Expensive, then we'd have to Spend More (in order to get Sustainability then). It does not reduces, but gets Higher. If these Programs get more Expensive, not Cheap, then, you've got to have also a higher contribution by the Private Sector in order to fill the gap, etc.,  this is what they are negotiating on.
So, I can't tell you more about this, and, quite frankly, we didn't even discuss this tonight. We only said that it has to happen rapidly, we had the impression that one was very close to the goal, but, without a term, we (EU Council) cannot decide".

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But, about the Timing, the German Chancellor simply observed that,

 - "On March, Greece wil need New Funds, and this has  to be agreed on the basis of New Programs".

=> "The (EU) Finance Ministers have to pass a Decision on this,  and we'll make proposals for Final Decisions. The Finance Ministers will meet about this", since Heads of State/Government "today, we don't have the Troika Report, and Negotiations have not yet come to a conclusion", she noted.

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+ Greek Prime Minister Papademos :
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>>>  Speaking much later, (at 2 o'clock after MidNight !) to Journalistsin Brussels, including "EuroFora", Papademos also said that Talks with PSI (private investors) and the (EU-ECB-IMF) Troika were due to come to a conclusion "towards the end of this week", (i.e. close to the forthcoming Saturday's  meeeting between the President of EU Parliament's biggest Group : that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, a French MEP Joseph Daul, and German Finance MInister, Schauble,  in Strasbourg).   

                         
+ He also acknowledged that there are, meanwhile, some "Hard Issues" to be discussed with the EU-ECB-IMF "Troika" in Athens, while "Time is short", even if his Government is currently focused into meeting the "Target of Concluding at the end of next Week".

But Papademos refused to enter into concrete details on the particular points under discussion, prefering to merely highlight the fact that discussions touch both upon the need to further reduce Public Sending, as well as on "Structural Changes" and other measures in order to augment the country's Competitiveness, f..ex. by cutting Labour and production Costs, etc.        

>>> However, other, well informed Greek sources confirmed to "EuroFora" that certain key points, such as Privatisations, (promissed for the 1st time since March 2010 : See "EuroFora"s previous NewsReports), and particularly at least some 150.000 lay-offs "until 2015", in the disproportionate Public Sector agents, where there are many notoriously counter-productive cushy job holders and/or abusive, corrupted or even criminal political lackeys, massively and scandalously hired by Past Clientelism and/or Nepotism of Former Governments mainly of PASOK since the 1980ies, (See relevant, earlier "EuroFora"'s NewsReports), provoking a growing Debt, that 1999-2001 manouvers (f.ex. EuroStat's false data, USA's Goldman Sachs' swaps, "Socialist" EU Rapporteurs' over-optimistic predictions,  etc), masqued then, in order to get artificially re-elected on April 2000 a PASOK Government with less than 1% more, in exchange of closing its eyes on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (then decided from December 1999 at Helsinki).

But the 2009 Global Crisis burst that huge Debt bulb, revealing the real situation, which has been since then, obviously exploited also by some anti-European networks, mainly with a few USA links, in order to harass the EU and "empoison" EU Summits (as German Chancellor Merkel and others observed), wasting precious Time and Energy until recently.  

All other previous and recent Plans had "failed", particularly by provoking more than expected Recession, thereby reducing State's Tax a.o. revenus,  since PASOK-dominated Governments never accepted to drop their own "clients", cushy-job holders, and/or political lackeys, (See supra), so that Austerity stroke mainly against Productive Businesses and to the detriment of Poor People, provoking growing Popular Revolt.

The mere spectacle of so revolting dramas as that f.ex. of an old Handicaped Mother, abandoned to live alone with her Unemployed Son, in a Household whose Electricity had been cut since September 2011 because they were hindered to pay the bill,  while, at the same moment, Thousands of counter-productive Cushy Job Holders and/or abusive/Corrupted Political Lackeys are blocking reforms by noisily refusing even to touch upon their .. "13th and 14th (sic !) monthly Salary", (some initially had even a ... "15th salary" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...............  , in addition, of course, to Paid annual Holidays, etc), resumes quite well the scandal !  

                    
Obviously, only an adequate combination of Justice and Economic Efficiency, by purging the Greek State from all those unpopular and counterproductive cushy-job-holders and/or corrupted/criminal Political Lackeys, most of whom should, normally, also pay for  Years scandalous and undeserved usurpation of Public Sector Jobs, could have a chance to find a Solution, by saving Production and Poor People, factors of Growth by investing and/or paying with all their revenues,  as well as by drastically stoping useless public spending.

+ Without expensive waste of Popular Revolts, but, on the contrary, with strong Popular Support, given the recent, spectacular Popular Revolts against Oppressive, Abusive, and Corrupted State Bureaucracy, which should be swept away by a Modern Alliance between Efficient Reformers and a Popular Anti-Corruption Movement, similar to the "Mani Pulite" ("Clean Hands") succesful re-generation movement in Italy (comp. World-famous f. Judge Di Pietro, currently a MEP, recent interview to "EuroFora".

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*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- New EU Parliament's President, experienced, long-time MEP Martin Schulz, replying to an "EuroFora" question during the 1st EU Summit in Brussels focused mainly on Growth (in addition to Financial Stabilization, already decided last year, on 2011, as EU Council's President Van Rompoy observed), openly anounced his support for the creation of an EU Rating Agency :

- "I am in favour of a European Rating Agency !", stressed from the outset, in a crystal-clear way, the German SocialDemocrat MEP who has just started to chair EU Parliament for the period 2012-2à14 thanks to an interparty agreement (See infra).

 - "A dispassionate Observer might be led to conclude that Anonymous Rating Agencies in New York are more Powerful than Democratically Elected Governments and Parliaments", denounced earlier Schulz in his inaugural speech at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, shortly after his election, on the base of an overall political agreement with EPP's head, French MEP Joseph Daul, including the sharing of top EU jobs, such as at the head of EU Commission and Parliament, etc. (See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReports, already sent to Subscribers/Donors, on Schulz's election, earlier this month in Strasbourg).

The move followed, in particular a recent series of negative reports to the detriment of many EU Countries mainly by Standard and Pöors' USA Rating Agency, at least some of which were felt by many as unjust, while critical questions were also raised by the fact that Rating Agencies had reportedly postponed any next negative anouncement on American Economy (whose Debt is notoriously higher than €urozone's average), until 2013, i.e. after the Fall 2012 USA Presidential Elections, while, on the contrary, in Europe, S&P published immediately a controversial negative Rating, f.ex. for France, even just only 100 Days before the forthcoming Presidential Elections, (even if, finally, Paris succeeded to easily overcome that challenge, thanks also to ECB'"s support)...

Meanwhile, at least a European Businessman anounced, earlier, his intention to stat trying to build from scraps the first European Rataing Agency, based on an original concept of Responsibility vis a vis rated entities.

+ "That's good: That's the Right thing to do !", agreed on this point, shortly afterwards, the mainstreama, long-time MEP, Elmar Brok, President of EU Parliament's Foreign affairs Committee, speaking to "EuroFora" on, Schulz's stance about creating a brand new EU Rating Agency

Brok's positive stance vis a vis Schulz's view on the creation of an EU Rating Agency came in the context of EU Parliament new President's earlier plea, both to EU Heads of State/Government and speaking to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora", to "combine" Financial Stability with Investment also for Growth, with a particular attention also for jobs, concerning mainly Young People.

Soon after Schulz ended his Press Conference, the area was literally covered by Flyers and a Printed Booklet, translated in many EU Languages, containing EU Commission's President, José Barroso's (a ChristianDemocrat/EPP from Portugal) Plan, precisely focused on "Growth and Jobs : Next Steps"...

The plan on Barroso's presentation to EU Summit was spectacularly distributed to the Press, immediately after inside big boxes Symbolically headed "for the Future".
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

As "EuroFora" witnessed, Barroso, apparently had, indeed, worked up to the last minute in order to prepare his contribution to the EU Summit on Growth and Competitivity, so that, exceptionally, he was the ... Last among the invited EU Heads of State/Government and othert personalities  (f.ex. ECB's new President Draghi, as well as Schulz himself for EU Parliament, etc) which arrived  today at EU Council's doorstep, one after the other.     

+ However, the  EPP - Socialists' agreement on main EU survival and Global rang didn't yet produce similar results : Schulz depicted as almost non-existent an initial EU Summit's draft, which cirsulated among ChristianDemocrat/EPP Heads of State/Government, and reiterated his preference for controversial "EuroBonds", etc., asking anew to be given a "full participation" inside EU Council, and threatening, indirrectly but surely, that EU Parliament might take its revenge in case of refusal by EU Council, when the moment will come for MEPs to vote for Legislative Measures according to EU Heads of State/Government's Plan to stimulate Growth.

But German ChristianDemocrat/EPP mainstream, long-time MEP, the experienced Elmar Brok, (EU Parliament'"s Political Commitee Chair, f. EU Enlargement Rapporteur, as well as former EU Parliament's representative to EU Institutional Reforms, etc), speaking shortly afterwards to "EuroFora" and other Journalists in Brussels, stressed that he prefered for EU Parliament and EU Council to cooperate, naturally, but while staying well Distinct and Differend, without making any Confusion possible in EU Citizen'"s views, almost "as Montesquieu's (famous) Distinction of Powers" Historically described as a landmark characteristic of Democracy.

Most important, in conclusion, Brok didn't believe, contrary to Schulz, that EU Parliament and Council should eventually quarel about institutional "participation" matters (Comp. supra).

- "What counts most is efficiency on substantial issues. EU Citizens simply want important things to be done, and they don't care so much about procedures, etc", he added.
                                

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The 1st EU Summit starting to focus, after Financial Stability, now mainly on stimulating Growth, pointed at Digital  + Energy potential, while preparing Network industries for June, and redeployed some 83 Billions, mainly via SMEs and Young People, seeking the "fastest" possible consequences also   on Employment, but without losing from its sight the overal EU Growth Strategy, based on investment to Innovation, as German Chancellor Angie Merkel stressed, speaking to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora".
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

      Since the "Fiscal Pact", decided in 2011, is now ready even earlier than initially scheduled, EU can and must  focus in 2012 on urgent action to stimulate Growth and Jobs, particularly for Young People, via SME's, etc., while also seeking to boost the Single Market's potential on  Digital, Energy and other Networks, mainly by better targetting unspend, surplus Money of the 2007-2013 pluriannual period to the fast producing results areas of SMES and Young People, in conformity with the 2020 EU Growth Strategy which focuses on investing in RST and Innovation. ---------------------------------- 

   "Digital Agenda" figures No 1 under the Headlines "Europe 2020 : EU's Growth Strategy", together with "Innovation", "Youth" and "New Skills", etc, topically reminds a presentation made by EU President José Barroso to the 1st EU Council of 2012, titled "Growth and Jobs : Next Steps".

    In particular, in "completing the Single Market", "by deploying the Full Potential of Digital Economy", "the Digital Single Market" constitutes "a clear Priority", as one "Key Driver for EU's Economic Growth", stress EU Council's conclusions, asking, in particular, for "Rapid Implementation of EU Commissiopn's Action Plan on "E-Coçmmerce", and "New Proposals" or "Agreements", until "June 2012" on "E-Signature", "On line Dispute resolution", and "Roaming", as well as to "modernize EU's CopyRight regime", "while Fighting Piracy",  etc. , and adding also "E-Governenment" etc.

    + Both 3 biggest €uro-Area Countries' leaders, new Italian Prime Minister Mario Prodi, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor Angie Merkel, have played recently an exceptionaly important role in this direction :

    - Monti, since 2009, published as EU Expert a landmark Report on the potential of EU's Single Market, which gave a particularmly important role on the "New Sources" of Growth, made possible by Digital Economy and Media, as he had stressed since then in statements to "EuroFora" (See relevant 2009 NewsReport).

    - Sarkozy, (even while facing scepticissm by some quarters) decided to largely include Digital projects among those who can be funded by the "Great Loan"for long-term Iniitiatives of Excellence for the Future, consecrating many Billions €, as he anounced for the 1st time on 12/2009 near Strasbourg, the same Day that Merkel was giving a landmatrk speech at an International Conference on the Internet in Stuttgart, near Strasbourg, as part of Germany's "Excellence/Innovation Strategy for Growth".          
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    On "Energy", EU Council's conclusions call for an "agreement on Enerhy Efficiency", and ask to "rapidly implement EU Legislation on Energy Single Market", while EU Parliament's President, Schulz, is due to participate tomorrow morning, at the Economic and Social Council in an one Day-long Conference on the "EU on the road towards an Energy European Community", where "EuroFora" was invited.

    Including a participation by Union for the Mediterranean Secretyary Generalm, Amrani, in a 2nd part on Security of Supply and Foreign affairs' dimension, shortlyafter growing, huge Oil/Gas Findings at the South-Eastern Mediterranean, from Egypt and Israel up to Lebanon and EU Member Country Cyprus, which might be equivalent to the similar Geology of Mexico Gulf's Deep Sea recentt findings, able to coverr more than 52%  of USA's needs, according to former US President GWBush  (comp."EuroFora"s earlier NewsReports).
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    - "We all agreed (in the first 2012 EU Summit) that Today's Issue was a matter of Growth and Competitiveness, and no more a mere matter of Deficits' reduction, that we must continue in parallel, according to decisiopns already taken and the roadmap designed", stressed French President Sarkozy.

    The move comes, in particular, after, in the context of a Global Crisis, all over the World, even recent Predictions of Germany"s Growth for 2012 fell from + 2% initialy, down to just 0,75 %, and for France, from +1% initially, down to 0,5+, as he observed.

    - Sarkozy anounced, however, that this "doesn't change anything, in terms of France having  to respect its commitments (to the EU), since we have already succeeded to be in advance on the Deficit Reduction Agenda", (as the French President has anounced since January 9 in Berlin (See earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Berlin).

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 +Both Merkel and Sarkozy stressed that the most Innovative move among the present EU Commission's proposals, was the Decision to save and re-program some +83 Billions €, mainly from Structural Funds,

    in addition to more Youth Training, Mobility, etc, and EU's Recommendation to diminish Taxes currently supported by Employers on their workers' salaries, which should be rather transferred into Indirect taxation, such as "VAT"s, etc, (as the French Government has just started to do).

    - "+ Instead of disbursing a lot of not-used EU Funds, as we've done in the Past, (i.e. returning them back to National Governments which had paid that money, most of whom are rather Rich), on the contrary, now, we'll let those Countries in need, "Free to use them in the best targetted way for creating Growth and Jobs", f.ex. by investing into RST, etc, in order to become more competitive and productif, stressed German Chancellor Angie Merkel.

    => "Such Concrete Steps which make material Differe nce for those Countries who find it difficult to get loans, (f.ex. because their ratings habve been recently downgraded, so that borrowing has become more expensive for them"), observed German Chancellor Merkel.

    + And "the Fastest way" to create Jobs, is to support SME's and Young People's employment", Merkel explained.

    - It all goes in the Direction of aiming to create sustrainable and healthy Growth by investing in RST, Education and People, etc., so that Productivity augments, according to the main Strategy that we had proposed, as early as "since 2010", together with French President Sarkozy, she reminded,

    apparently speaking of the Franco-German strategic decision to start resolutely moving towards deeper EU "Integration", with a call for other willing EU Countries to join, (>Comp. "EuroFora"s relevant 2010 NewsReports, already from Elysee Palace 2/2010, but particularly from Freiburg, 12/2010).
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    At any case, French President Sarkozy, observing that Market and Growth Predictions should be always taken "Carefully", added that things could probably go much bettter, if the issues affecting Greece were soon settled

    (Comp. other NewStory, herewith)

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The 17 Member Countries-strong €uroArea Governance's Attractive Force may augment considerably in the foreseeable future, among the 10 EU but not yet €uro Member States, if one judges both by the latest developments in Brussels, and by the statements of key-players' French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel's councillors to "EuroFora" :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
- The 1st revealed that many EU but not yet €uro Area Countries were anxious to search a way for their fullest possible Participation into the €uroArea Governance   Summits, even before their accession to €uroZone.

*- The 2nd lets suppose that nothing could hinder €uroArea's Heads of State/Government from discussing also other, various Urgent Political matters, when they meet between them, in €AG format. Should €uroArea's Political Leaders loose a rare chance to debate and eventually agree on key political, pressing issues, only for some merely bureaucratic formalities ?

  => Obviously, at least on a Medium-Longterm Future, this may practically lead towards far-reaching GeoPolitical consequences.   
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    Already from the outset, it became immediately obvious that something unusual or unexpected was probably going on inside the Justius Lipsius EU Council building :

    - Polish and Hungarian Prime Ministers, Donald Tusk and Victor Orban, werez First to rush in, even before the scheduled official Arrival Time-frame (about 15 m. earlier), followed by Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeld, and afterwards his Czech Republic's counterpart, etc., the latter being unusually long to speak to surprised Journalists waiting as usual at EU Council's doorstep... UK Prime Minister Cameron wasn't far away, and, all being EU but not yet €uroArea Members, it was obviousy easy to guess the direction towards which such movesd might indicate..

    Nevertheless, EU Countries were able to quasi-Unanimously confirm that they had agreed and were, indeed, Ready to Sign officially the full, detailed New Treaty creating the €uroArea's Governance in just 1 Month : As early as from the 1st of March.
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    Running energetically very Fast to enter afterwards as a Rocket the EU Council's building, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was also, unusually, the 1st to start giving his Press Conference earlier than others and earlier than expected by some Press collegues , who rushed to join the meeting afterwards...

    - Explaining in a crystal-clear way "the Architecture" of €uroArea's Governance, Sarkozy concluded that "there are 3 Levels of (EU Heads of State/Government) meetings :"

    a ) "When it's about the (EU's) Common Market, we'll sign all 27", he characteristically said.

    b) "When it's about the "€uro+ Pact", i.e. for all those who want to enter inside €uroArea or are already inside €uro, then, we'll be 25 or 26 (Countries) to meet", he added.

    c) But, "when it's about €uro-Issues, we'll meet between the 17" (€uro Member States), Sarkozy concluded.

    - "That's how things are going to work, from now on".

    => "It doesn'y mean that there ate many Speeds ; it doesn't mean that there will be People, Countries, which would be left aside", he denied.

    >>> Because, "on the contrary, it means that there will be INTEGRATION LEVELS, which are not the same (as he said by referring to the "Europea,j INTEGRATION concept, which started to be officially adopted as a Strategy for the Future by the Franco-German Summit of Freiburg, since December 2010 (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Offenburg and Freiburg)

    + "As well as that Everyone is free to choose", the French President stressed.

    - "The problem that was discussed" today, at EU Summit, "is that of €uroArea'"s= Governance's) meetings" :

    - I.e. "At what moment they should be among 17" €uroArea Members only ? From which point should they be Enlarged (also) to those (Countries) which are not yet €uroMembers, but would like to participate ? This was one of the issues under discussion, and we (EU Summit)=settled it according to the above mentioned Modalities", Sarkozy revealed.

    - "At any case, I think that it's much Better to have a Clarification, and that Europe gets out of any Ambiguity :"

" Those who agree for this New Treaty must say so, and put it into Practice with all due Energy. And those who disagree, or have Reserves, should say : - "We have some Reserves, we don't sign", and I think very serioury that this Clarification work is necessary", he pointed out.

    So, "from now on, it will be like this with the Czechs, at any case for the moment that we are speaking, because, even there, they explained to me that there would be some "Coinstituitional problems", but I'm absolutely ready to say also that Czechs are our Friends", as he observed.            
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    An impotant Innovation in €uroArea Governance Summits is that, In conformity with what was agreed by EU Council since December 9, 2011 (and the Franco-German proposal of December 5 ; See "EuroFora"s News Reports from Brussels and Elysee Palace in Paris, respectively), they are due to be held "at least Twice a Year", (i.e. as EU's official Councils), and "regularly", (f.ex. once each Month, as the original,

    + But it's also important to note that, questioned by "EuroFora" to clarify whether €uroArea Governance Summits would also discuss in the foreseable Futrure, at least in case of Urgency or Need, some topical Political issues, (or should they be for ever hindered from doing so), a Sarkozy's Counsellor did not deny...  

    A similar impression was given to "EuroFora" also from points of view close to German Chancellor Angie Merkel, shortly afterwards :

    - F.ex., Raising the same Question (See above) also to the experienced, long-time MEP , President of EU Parliament"s Foreign affairs Committee, German MEP Elmar Brok, (and EU Parliament's representative to Institutional EU Reforms, including vis a vis this one, about the €uroArea Governance), we didn't get any Negative answer at all.

    Naturally, Brok didn't gave any indication to refuse EU Heads of Satte/Governments' freedom to eventually discuss, f.ex, in case of Urgency, any Topical Political issue he might find useful or even urgently needed to submit to their attention, f.ex., also as President of EU Parliament's Political affairs Committee, etc., particularly when it might even be closely related to €uroArea's main aims, as to foster Growth, (f.ex. an urgent need to protect Enerhy findings in EU territory, etc.)..

    Indeed, it would obviously be a counter-productive waste to eventually hinder European Top Political Leaders, Heads of State/Government, even to speak between them and discuss an urgent, topical Political issue of relevance to €uroArea, (while they also represent a Majority even inside the EU), and consequently oblige them to postpone eveything for another, later meeting, after 1 or 2 or 3 or even more Months, just because of some Bureaucratic formalities...

    Efficiency and Simplification would certainly plead in favour of lettting Heads of State/Governmment Free to discuss and decide on any topical, at least Urgent issue, be it Political or Economic, of relevance to the €uroArea Countries' interests, (Even if they might, eventually, have to complete their Final Decisions, later-on, in an EU format)...  

    => Such possibilities for the Future should, normally, incite a large number of EU Countries to try to stick to their initial, December 2011, decision to join the €uroArea Governance already from the earliest possible moment, (i.e. practically from March the 1st) ....