EURO SUMMIT STATEMENT - το κείμενο της απόφαση της συνόδου κορυφής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης

Μαθήτριες στο Αγρίνιο παρελαύνουν μπροστά από Γερμανούς αξιωματικούς και τον διοικητή των ταγμάτων ασφαλείας Γεώργιο Τολιόπουλο.

Δημοσιεύουμε την απόφαση της συνόδου κορυφής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης

Brussels, 26 October 2011

EURO SUMMIT STATEMENT

1. Over the last three years, we have taken unprecedented steps to combat the effects of theworld-wide financial crisis, both in the European Union as such and within the euro area. Thestrategy we have put into place encompasses determined efforts to ensure fiscal consolidation,support to countries in difficulty, and a strengthening of euro area governance leading todeeper economic integration among us and an ambitious agenda for growth. At our 21 Julymeeting we took a set of major decisions. The ratification by all 17 Member States of the euroarea of the measures related to the EFSF significantly strengthens our capacity to react to thecrisis. Agreement by all three institutions on a strong legislative package within the EUstructures on better economic governance represents another major achievement. Theintroduction of the European Semester has fundamentally changed the way our fiscal andeconomic policies are co-ordinated at European level, with co-ordination at EU level nowtaking place before national decisions are taken. The euro continues to rest on solidfundamentals.

2. Further action is needed to restore confidence. That is why today we agree on acomprehensive set of additional measures reflecting our strong determination to do whateveris required to overcome the present difficulties and take the necessary steps for the completionof our economic and monetary union. We fully support the ECB in its action to maintain pricestability in the euro area.

Sustainable public finances and structural reforms for growth

3. The European Union must improve its growth and employment outlook, as outlined in thegrowth agenda agreed by the European Council on 23 October 2011. We reiterate our fullcommitment to implement the country specific recommendations made under the firstEuropean Semester and on focusing public spending on growth areas.

4. All Member States of the euro area are fully determined to continue their policy of fiscalconsolidation and structural reforms. A particular effort will be required of those MemberStates who are experiencing tensions in sovereign debt markets.

5. We welcome the important steps taken by Spain to reduce its budget deficit, restructure itsbanking sector and reform product and labour markets, as well as the adoption of aconstitutional balanced budget amendment. Strictly implementing budgetary adjustment asplanned is key, including at regional level, to fulfil the commitments of the stability andgrowth Pact and the strengthening of the fiscal framework by developing lower levellegislation to make the constitutional amendment fully operative. Further action is needed toincrease growth so as to reduce the unacceptable high level of unemployment. Actions shouldinclude enhancing labour market changes to increase flexibility at firm level andemployability of the labour force and other reforms to improve competitiveness, speciallyextending the reforms in the service sector.

6. We welcome Italy's plans for growth enhancing structural reforms and the fiscal consolidationstrategy, as set out in the letter sent to the Presidents of the European Council and theCommission and call on Italy to present as a matter of urgency an ambitious timetable forthese reforms. We commend Italy's commitment to achieve a balanced budget by 2013 and astructural budget surplus in 2014, bringing about a reduction in gross government debt to113% of GDP in 2014, as well as the foreseen introduction of a balanced budget rule in theconstitution by mid 2012.Italy will now implement the proposed structural reforms to increase competitiveness bycutting red tape, abolishing minimum tariffs in professional services and further liberalisinglocal public services and utilities. We note Italy's commitment to reform labour legislationand in particular the dismissal rules and procedures and to review the currently fragmentedunemployment benefit system by the end of 2011, taking into account the budgetaryconstraints. We take note of the plan to increase the retirement age to 67 years by 2026 andrecommend the definition by the end of the year of the process to achieve this objective.We support Italy's intention to review structural funds programs by reprioritising projectsand focussing on education, employment, digital agenda and railways/networks with the aimof improving the conditions to enhance growth and tackle the regional divide.We invite the Commission to provide a detailed assessment of the measures and to monitortheir implementation, and the Italian authorities to provide in a timely way all the informationnecessary for such an assessment.

Countries under adjustment programme

7. We reiterate our determination to continue providing support to all countries underprogrammes until they have regained market access, provided they fully implement thoseprogrammes.

8. Concerning the programme countries, we are pleased with the progress made by Ireland in thefull implementation of its adjustment programme which is delivering positive results. Portugalis also making good progress with its programme and is determined to continue undertakingmeasures to underpin fiscal sustainability and improve competitiveness. We invite bothcountries to keep up their efforts, to stick to the agreed targets and stand ready to take anyadditional measure required to reach those targets.

9. We welcome the decision by the Eurogroup on the disbursement of the 6th tranche of the EUIMFsupport programme for Greece. We look forward to the conclusion of a sustainable andcredible new EU-IMF multiannual programme by the end of the year.

10. The mechanisms for the monitoring of implementation of the Greek programme must bestrengthened, as requested by the Greek government. The ownership of the programme isGreek and its implementation is the responsibility of the Greek authorities. In the context ofthe new programme, the Commission, in cooperation with the other Troika partners, willestablish for the duration of the programme a monitoring capacity on the ground, includingwith the involvement of national experts, to work in close and continuous cooperation withthe Greek government and the Troika to advise and offer assistance in order to ensure thetimely and full implementation of the reforms. It will assist the Troika in assessing theconformity of measures which will be taken by the Greek government within thecommitments of the programme. This new role will be laid down in the Memorandum ofUnderstanding. To facilitate the efficient use of the sizeable official loans for therecapitalization of Greek banks, the governance of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund(HFSF) will be strengthened in agreement with the Greek government and the Troika.

11. We fully support the Task Force on technical assistance set up by the Commission.

12. The Private Sector Involvement (PSI) has a vital role in establishing the sustainability of theGreek debt. Therefore we welcome the current discussion between Greece and its privateinvestors to find a solution for a deeper PSI. Together with an ambitious reform programmefor the Greek economy, the PSI should secure the decline of the Greek debt to GDP ratio withan objective of reaching 120% by 2020. To this end we invite Greece, private investors andall parties concerned to develop a voluntary bond exchange with a nominal discount of 50%on notional Greek debt held by private investors. The Euro zone Member States wouldcontribute to the PSI package up to 30 bn euro. On that basis, the official sector stands readyto provide additional programme financing of up to 100 bn euro until 2014, including therequired recapitalisation of Greek banks. The new programme should be agreed by the end of2011 and the exchange of bonds should be implemented at the beginning of 2012. We call onthe IMF to continue to contribute to the financing of the new Greek programme.

13. Greece commits future cash flows from project Helios or other privatisation revenue in excessof those already included in the adjustment programme to further reduce indebtedness of theHellenic Republic by up to 15 billion euros with the aim of restoring the lending capacity ofthe EFSF.

14. Credit enhancement will be provided to underpin the quality of collateral so as to allow itscontinued use for access to Eurosystem liquidity operations by Greek banks.

15. As far as our general approach to private sector involvement in the euro area is concerned, wereiterate our decision taken on 21 July 2011 that Greece requires an exceptional and uniquesolution.

16. All other euro area Member States solemnly reaffirm their inflexible determination to honourfully their own individual sovereign signature and all their commitments to sustainable fiscalconditions and structural reforms. The euro area Heads of State or Government fully supportthis determination as the credibility of all their sovereign signatures is a decisive element forensuring financial stability in the euro area as a whole.

Stabilisation mechanisms

17. The ratification process of the revised EFSF has now been completed in all euro area MemberStates and the Eurogroup has agreed on the implementing guidelines on primary andsecondary market interventions, precautionary arrangements and bank recapitalisation. Thedecisions we took concerning the EFSF on 21 July are thus fully operational. All toolsavailable will be used in an effective way to ensure financial stability in the euro area. Asstated in the implementing guidelines, strict conditionality will apply in case of new(precautionary) programmes in line with IMF practices. The Commission will carry outenhanced surveillance of the Member States concerned and report regularly to the Eurogroup.

18. We agree that the capacity of the extended EFSF shallkbe used with a view to maximizing theavailable resources in the following framework:

•  the objective is to support market access for euro area Member States faced with marketpressures and to ensure the proper functioning of the euro area sovereign debt market,while fully preserving the high credit standing of the EFSF. These measures are neededto ensure financial stability and provide sufficient ringfencing to fight contagion;

•  this will be done without extending the guarantees underpinning the facility and withinthe rules of the Treaty and the terms and conditions of the current frameworkagreement, operating in the context of the agreed instruments, and entailing appropriateconditionality and surveillance.

19. We agree on two basic options to leverage the resources of the EFSF:

•  providing credit enhancement to new debt issued by Member States, thus reducing thefunding cost. Purchasing this risk insurance would be offered to private investors as anoption when buying bonds in the primary market;

•  maximising the funding arrangements of the EFSF with a combination of resources fromprivate and public financial institutions and investors, which can be arranged throughSpecial Purpose Vehicles. This will enlarge the amount of resources available to extendloans, for bank recapitalization and for buying bonds in the primary and secondarymarkets.

20. The EFSF will have the flexibility to use these two options simultaneously, deploying themdepending on the specific objective pursued and on market circumstances. The leverage effectof each option will vary, depending on their specific features and market conditions, but couldbe up to four or five.

21. We call on the Eurogroup to finalise the terms and conditions for the implementation of thesemodalities in November, in the form of guidelines and in line with the draft terms andconditions prepared by the EFSF.

22. In addition, further enhancement of the EFSF resources can be achieved by cooperating evenmore closely with the IMF. The Eurogroup, the Commission and the EFSF will work on allpossible options.

Banking system

23. We welcome the agreement reached today by the members of the European Council on bankrecapitalisation and funding (see Annex 2).

Economic and fiscal coordination and surveillance.

24. The legislative package on economic governance strengthens economic and fiscal policycoordination and surveillance. After it enters into force in January 2012 it will be strictlyimplemented as part of the European Semester. We call for rigorous surveillance by theCommission and the Council, including through peer pressure, and the active use of theexisting and new instruments available. We also recall our commitments made in theframework of the Euro Plus Pact.

25. Being part of a monetary union has far reaching implications and implies a much closercoordination and surveillance to ensure stability and sustainability of the whole area. Thecurrent crisis shows the need to address this much more effectively. Therefore, whilestrengthening our crisis tools within the euro area, we will make further progress inintegrating economic and fiscal policies by reinforcing coordination, surveillance anddiscipline. We will develop the necessary policies to support the functioning of the singlecurrency area.

26. More specifically, building on the legislative package just adopted, the European Semesterand the Euro Plus Pact, we commit to implement the following additional measures at thenational level:

a. adoption by each euro area Member State of rules on balanced budget in structuralterms translating the Stability and Growth Pact into national legislation, preferably atconstitutional level or equivalent, by the end of 2012;

b. reinforcement of national fiscal frameworks beyond the Directive on requirements forbudgetary frameworks of the Member States. In particular, national budgets should bebased on independent growth forecasts;

c. invitation to national parliaments to take into account recommendations adopted at theEU level on the conduct of economic and budgetary policies;

d. consultation of the Commission and other euro area Member States before the adoptionof any major fiscal or economic policy reform plans with potential spillover effects, soas to give the possibility for an assessment of possible impact for the euro area as awhole;

e. commitment to stick to the recommendations of the Commission and the relevantCommissioner regarding the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact.

27. We also agree that closer monitoring and additional enforcement are warranted along thefollowing lines:

a. for euro area Member States in excessive deficit procedure, the Commission and theCouncil will be enabled to examine national draft budgets and adopt an opinion on thembefore their adoption by the relevant national parliaments. In addition, the Commissionwill monitor budget execution and, if necessary, suggest amendments in the course ofthe year;

b. in the case of slippages of an adjustment programme closer monitoring and coordinationof programme implementation will take place.

28. We look forward to the Commission's forthcoming proposal on closer monitoring to theCouncil and the European Parliament under Article 136 of the TFEU. In this context, wewelcome the intention of the Commission to strengthen, in the Commission, the role of thecompetent Commissioner for closer monitoring and additional enforcement.29. We will further strengthen the economic pillar of the Economic and Monetary Union andbetter coordinate macro- and micro-economic policies. Building on the Euro Plus Pact, wewill improve competitiveness, thereby achieving further convergence of policies to promotegrowth and employment. Pragmatic coordination of tax policies in the euro area is a necessaryelement of stronger economic policy coordination to support fiscal consolidation andeconomic growth. Legislative work on the Commission proposals for a CommonConsolidated Corporate Tax Base and for a Financial Transaction Tax is ongoing.

Governance structure of the euro area

30. To deal more effectively with the challenges at hand and ensure closer integration, thegovernance structure for the euro area will be strengthened, while preserving the integrity ofthe European Union as a whole.

31. We will thus meet regularly - at least twice a year- at our level, in Euro Summits, to providestrategic orientations on the economic and fiscal policies in the euro area. This will allow tobetter take into account the euro area dimension in our domestic policies.

32. The Eurogroup will, together with the Commission and the ECB, remain at the core of thedaily management of the euro area. It will play a central role in the implementation by theeuro area Member States of the European Semester. It will rely on a stronger preparatorystructure.

33. More detailed arrangements are presented in Annex 1 to this paper.

Further integration

34. The euro is at the core of our European project. We will strengthen the economic union tomake it commensurate with the monetary union.35. We ask the President of the European Council, in close collaboration with the President of theCommission and the President of the Eurogroup, to identify possible steps to reach this end.The focus will be on further strengthening economic convergence within the euro area,improving fiscal discipline and deepening economic union, including exploring the possibilityof limited Treaty changes. An interim report will be presented in December 2011 so as toagree on first orientations. It will include a roadmap on how to proceed in full respect of theprerogatives of the institutions. A report on how to implement the agreed measures will befinalised 

by March 2012.

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Annex 1

Ten measures to improve the governance of the euro area

There is a need to strengthen economic policy coordination and surveillance within the euro area, toimprove the effectiveness of decision making and to ensure more consistent communication. To thisend, the following ten measures will be taken, while fully respecting the integrity of the EU as awhole:

1. There will be regular Euro Summit meetings bringing together the Heads of State orgovernment (HoSG) of the euro area and the President of the Commission. These meetingswill take place at least twice a year, at key moments of the annual economic governancecircle; they will if possible take place after European Council meetings. Additional meetingscan be called by the President of the Euro Summit if necessary. Euro Summits will definestrategic orientations for the conduct of economic policies and for improved competitivenessand increased convergence in the euro area. The President of the Euro Summit will ensure thepreparation of the Euro Summit, in close cooperation with the President of the Commission.

2. The President of the Euro Summit will be designated by the HoSG of the euro area at thesame time the European Council elects its President and for the same term of office. Pendingthe next such election, the current President of the European Council will chair the EuroSummit meetings.

3. The President of the Euro Summit will keep the non euro area Member States closelyinformed of the preparation and outcome of the Summits. The President will also inform theEuropean Parliament of the outcome of the Euro Summits.

4. As is presently the case, the Eurogroup will ensure ever closer coordination of the economicpolicies and promoting financial stability. Whilst respecting the powers of the EU institutionsin that respect, it promotes strengthened surveillance of Member States' economic and fiscalpolicies as far as the euro area is concerned. It will also prepare the Euro Summit meetingsand ensure their follow up.

5. The President of the Eurogroup is elected in line with Protocol n°14 annexed to the Treaties.A decision on whether he/she should be elected among Members of the Eurogroup or be afull-time President based in Brussels will be taken at the time of the expiry of the mandate ofthe current incumbent. The President of the Euro Summit will be consulted on the Eurogroupwork plan and may invite the President of the Eurogroup to convene a meeting of theEurogroup, notably to prepare Euro Summits or to follow up on its orientations. Clear lines ofresponsibility and reporting between the Euro Summit, the Eurogroup and the preparatorybodies will be established.

6. The President of the Euro Summit, the President of the Commission and the President of theEurogroup will meet regularly, at least once a month. The President of the ECB may beinvited to participate. The Presidents of the supervisory agencies and the EFSF CEO / ESMManaging Director may be invited on an ad hoc basis.

7. Work at the preparatory level will continue to be carried out by the Eurogroup WorkingGroup (EWG), drawing on expertise provided by the Commission. The EWG also preparesEurogroup meetings. It should benefit from a more permanent sub-group consisting ofalternates/officials representative of the Finance Ministers, meeting more frequently, workingunder the authority of the President of the EWG.

8. The EWG will be chaired by a full-time Brussels-based President. In principle, he/she will beelected at the same time as the chair of the Economic and Financial Committee.

9. The existing administrative structures (i.e. the Council General Secretariat and the EFCSecretariat) will be strengthened and co-operate in a well coordinated way to provideadequate support to the Euro Summit President and the President of the Eurogroup, under theguidance of the President of the EFC/EWG. External expertise will be drawn upon asappropriate, on an ad hoc basis.10. Clear rules and mechanisms will be set up to improve communication and ensure moreconsistent messages. The President of the Euro Summit and the President of the Eurogroupshall have a special responsibility in this respect. The President of the Euro Summit togetherwith the President of the Commission shall be responsible for communicating the decisions ofthe Euro Summit and the President of the Eurogroup together with the ECFIN Commissionershall be responsible for communicating the decisions of the Eurogroup

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Annex 2

Consensus on banking package

1. Measures for restoring confidence in the banking sector (banking package) are urgentlyneeded and are necessary in the context of strengthening prudential control of the EU bankingsector. These measures should address:

a. The need to ensure the medium-term funding of banks, in order to avoid a credit crunchand to safeguard the flow of credit to the real economy, and to coordinate measures toachieve this.

b. The need to enhance the quality and quantity of capital of banks to withstand shocksand to demonstrate this enhancement in a reliable and harmonised way.

Term funding

2. Guarantees on bank liabilities would be required to provide more direct support for banks inaccessing term funding (short-term funding being available at the ECB and relevant nationalcentral banks), where appropriate. This is also an essential part of the strategy to limitdeleveraging actions.

3. A simple repetition of the 2008 experience with full national discretion in the setting-up ofliquidity schemes may not provide a satisfactory solution under current market conditions.Therefore a truly coordinated approach at EU-level is needed regarding entry criteria, pricingand conditions. The Commission should urgently explore together with the EBA, EIB, ECBthe options for achieving this objective and report to the EFC.

Capitalisation of banks

4. Capital target: There is broad agreement on requiring a significantly higher capital ratio of9 % of the highest quality capital and after accounting for market valuation of sovereign debtexposures, both as of 30 September 2011, to create a temporary buffer, which is justified bythe exceptional circumstances. This quantitative capital target will have to be attained by 30June 2012, based on plans agreed with national supervisors and coordinated by EBA. Thisprudent valuation would not affect the relevant financial reporting rules. National supervisoryauthorities, under the auspices of the EBA, must ensure that banks’ plans to strengthen capitaldo not lead to excessive deleveraging, including maintaining the credit flow to the realeconomy and taking into account current exposure levels of the group including theirsubsidiaries in all Member States, cognisant of the need to avoid undue pressure on creditextension in host countries or on sovereign debt markets.

5. Financing of capital increase: Banks should first use private sources of capital, includingthrough restructuring and conversion of debt to equity instruments. Banks should be subject toconstraints regarding the distribution of dividends and bonus payments until the target hasbeen attained. If necessary, national governments should provide support , and if this supportis not available, recapitalisation should be funded via a loan from the EFSF in the case ofEurozone countries.

State Aid

6. Any form of public support, whether at a national or EU-level, will be subject to theconditionality of the current special state aid crisis framework, which the Commission hasindicated will be applied with the necessary proportionality in view of the systemic characterof the crisis