Secondly, what is the economic government going to deal with?
Precisely, not just budgetary and financial issues, but also strategies for growth, tax and competitiveness. In short, everything which makes for and creates the conditions for strong, sustainable growth in Europe. I am very happy to accept the idea that this needs fleshing out. Of course, we’re at the beginning when it comes to this concept. The whole thing in a European Council which is run on inter-governmental not federal principles, where the practice is unanimity decision-making. So it isn’t very simple to take all this forward. But I think there’s progress. Now, admittedly this idea is making more progress in the 27 than the 16, because some European countries – and you are all well aware who they are – still fear, which I understand, being thrown back into a Europe without the same rules, which would be scandalous, or which didn’t move at the same speed, which no one can accept (…). I am so keen on the economic government idea that I’m ready, and I’m doing this, to agree that a
