News
Speaking points by Vice-President Olli Rehn on the 2014 Convergence Report
04/06/2014
The subject of today is the Convergence Report that we have just published, and this report examines the progress of eight Member States towards meeting the criteria for adopting the euro.
Country-specific recommendations 2014: Speaking points by Vice-President Olli Rehn
03/06/2014
"Today we have taken a number of decisions related to the Excessive Deficit Procedure. First and foremost, we are recommending to the Council the closure of the Excessive Deficit Procedure for six countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands, Austria and Slovakia.
These countries have all brought their deficits sustainably below 3% of GDP. Let me remind you that in 2011, no less than 24 Member States were in the Excessive Deficit Procedure. Currently there are 17. And provided the Council adopts today’s recommendations, the number will fall to 11. The Stability and Growth Pact is working, and Europe’s public finances are being repaired."
Coming soon: "10/06/2014 - Brussels Economic Forum 2014"
27/05/2014
The Brussels Economic Forum 2014 will debate how the EU and its Member States can support the nascent economic recovery and which lessons to draw from Europe’s response to the crisis so far. The annual gathering of key economic decision-makers, legislators and commentators will once again be the place to discuss and analyse current economic issues in depth.
Speaking points by Vice-President Olli Rehn at the Eurogroup Press Conference
01/04/2014
"To minimise risks to the economic recovery, it is very important to create the right conditions for economic stabilisation in Ukraine, in order to also help stabilise the political situation in the country. I reported to the Eurogroup that the Commission has been working intensively to prepare swiftly a package of macro-financial assistance for Ukraine."
Statement by the European Commission, ECB and IMF on the review mission to Greece
19/03/2014
The teams have reached staff-level agreement with the authorities on policies that could serve as the basis for completion of the review.
Speaking points by Vice-President Rehn on the European Parliament draft report on the role and operations of the Troika with regard to the euro area programme countries
12/03/2014
"Yes, it has been a difficult journey and the painful process of adjustment is behind us in many countries; but the economic turnaround is now tangible and visible. The European economy did not collapse, nor did the euro break up. The economic recovery is now gaining ground and firming up. Growth has resumed in Ireland and Portugal; unemployment has started to decrease; Ireland successfully completed its programme in December as planned; so did Spain its financial sector programme in January. For Portugal, the economic outlook was just revised upwards, and the country remains on track to exit its programme successfully in May."
Speaking points by Vice-President Rehn at the press conference of the meeting of the Eurogroup
11/03/2014
"I reported to the Eurogroup this evening on the economic situation and on macro-economic imbalances. The economic backdrop today in Europe is one of a gradually strengthening recovery."
Speaking points by Vice-President Rehn at the press conference on the Winter economic governance package
05/03/2014
"Today, developments beyond the eastern borders of the European Union are understandably at the forefront of our minds. I also have Ukraine in mind, and in fact also in my hands, as I have been tasked to coordinate the Commission's work for supporting the financial stabilisation and economic development of Ukraine. President Barroso just outlined to you our action plan which I obviously fully endorse. At the same time, we have quite a lot of unfinished business inside the European Union, and thus allow me to draw your attention to some important intra-European economic policy issues. The Union has not yet overcome its own challenges and much work remains to be done to return to more solid yet sustainable growth rates with higher levels of employment."
Mitkä arvot ohjaavat Euroopan kehitystä?
05/03/2014
"Millaisiin henkiseen ja hengelliseen arvopohjaan Eurooppa nojaa? En murehdi niinkään esimerkiksi tämän päivän maallistumiskehitystä tai joitakin vaivaavaa islamin kasvanutta roolia, vaan menen historian kautta syvemmälle Euroopan henkisiin ja hengellisiin juuriin.
Lähtökohtani on sosiologi Emile Durkheim ajatus: ”Meissä jokaisessa on paljon eilisen ihmistä”.
Yhteisö, jossa elämme, ja tuon yhteisön kehityksen taustalla oleva yhteinen historia raamittavat tiedostamattammekin ajatuksiamme ja määrittävät maailmankuvaamme. Yksilö tekee valintojaan ja vastaa teoistaan tässä ”eilisen ihmisen” rakentamassa raamissa.
Eurooppalaisen ajattelun syvävirta on muodostunut kahdesta lähteestä: kristillisestä uskosta ja humanismista. Humanismilla viittaan läntisen Euroopan aatteelliseen jatkumoon kreikkalaisesta demokratiasta roomalaiseen oikeuteen, valistusaatteesta sivistysajattelun perintöön."
