previEUws week 8 2012 with Helmut Weixler, The Greens

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Category : EU News | Sub-Category : EU previEUws | Programme : PreviEUws

Jennifer Baker is joined by Helmut Weixler, Greens Group Spokesperson, to discuss the EU Agenda for this week in the latest issue of ‘previEUws’.

Although the European Parliament is rather empty in this Constituency Week, there is still quite something on the agenda. This week, the Eurozone finance ministers are meeting on the Greek debt crisis (00:47). There is caution versus Greece, and its capability to implement the promised reforms in particular. The Greeks themselves, on the other hand, feel that they are being blackmailed whilst at the same time giving up sovereignty to the European Union. The Greens Spokesperson Weixler, elaborates on the impact of the crisis on Greek society (01:43). Especially in the light of the upcoming Greek elections, which are due for April 2012. Alternatively, Italy’s technocratic leader Mario Monti has found wide support all over Europe (02:43). Monti received a warm welcome in the European Parliament and his reforms have been praised as an example for Greece.

Second topic on this week’s agenda is the gathering of Ministers in charge of Competition; they are meeting to discuss the “Europe 2020” strategy recently put forward by the Commission. The Greens are supportive of the 2020 strategy, explains Mr Weixler (04:02). In order to provide the growth that Europe needs to battle the crisis, employment should be boosted, more money ought to be allocated to research and competitivity should increase. However, the Greens spokesman indicates that the Lisbon strategy’s failure proved that an ambitious strategy is useless if Member States fail to implement the goals set out.

Finally attention is paid to the Interim Economic Forecast (06:07), which will reveal new figures on the economies of Europe. Southern Member States as Spain and Italy are currently in a recession and Greece’s current negative economic growth will almost doubled last year’s 4%.

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Every Monday morning, www.viEUws.eu will bring you the interviEUw of a Spokesperson from a political group.

Posted on : 20/02/12

Hosted by : Jennifer Baker

Tags : Competition, crisis, EU 2020, Eurogroup, Eurozone, Greece