Current:Home > MarketsEU countries agree on compromise for overhaul of bloc’s fiscal rules-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
EU countries agree on compromise for overhaul of bloc’s fiscal rules
View Date:2024-12-24 10:48:55
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union finance ministers on Wednesday sealed a deal to reform the 27-nation bloc’s fiscal rules after France and Germany finally adhered to a compromise.
EU countries had been negotiating for months a reform of the bloc’s fiscal rules limiting debt and deficits for member states, known as the Stability and Growth Pact.
The rulebook, which has often proved difficult to enforce and has served as a source of tension, was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic but should be reactivated next year.
“Once this agreement is formalized into a general approach, which should happen very soon, negotiations can begin with the European Parliament so that EU Member States have clarity and predictability on their fiscal policies for the years ahead,” said Valdis Dombrovskis, a European Commission executive vice president.
The deal was announced a day after France and Germany reached an agreement on the compromise put forward by Spain, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
The two economic powerhouses had long remained at odds on how to support investment when budget deficits exceed the limits set by the EU.
“(A) historic agreement,” France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “After two years of intense negotiations, we have new European budget rules!”
Key targets from the old Stability and Growth Pact will remain. Under current rules, countries must aim to keep their government deficit below 3% of gross domestic product, and their public debt below 60% of GDP.
The central pillar of the overhaul, laid out by the European Commission, will see member countries get more independence in the design of plans outlining their fiscal targets, measures they might use to address any imbalances and the main reforms and investment they aim to undertake.
The Spanish presidency said the compromise includes extra safeguards to guarantee debt reduction. Countries with debt ratios above 90% will need to cut debt by one percentage point per year. For member states with debt ratios between 60% and 90%, the reduction required will be 0.5% per year.
“The rules provide for a transitional regime until 2027 that softens the impact of the increase in the interest burden, protecting investment capacity,” the Spanish presidency said.
Earlier this month, thousands of protesters marched in Brussels to protest what they perceive as new austerity measures the reform would bring.
veryGood! (15763)
Related
- Melissa Gilbert recalls 'painful' final moment with 'Little House' co-star Michael Landon
- Take on Summer Nights With These Must-Have Cooling Blankets for Hot Sleepers
- Gas stoves became part of the culture war in less than a week. Here's why
- Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak retiring
- Taylor Swift gifts 7-year-old '22' hat after promising to meet her when she was a baby
- Author Aubrey Gordon Wants To Debunk Myths About Fat People
- Sunnylife’s Long Weekend Must-Haves Make Any Day a Day at the Beach
- Vegas Golden Knights cruise by Florida Panthers to capture first Stanley Cup
- Reese Witherspoon's Daughter Ava Phillippe Introduces Adorable New Family Member
- Scant obesity training in medical school leaves docs ill-prepared to help patients
Ranking
- Special counsel Smith asks court to pause appeal seeking to revive Trump’s classified documents case
- How will Trump's lawyers handle his federal indictment? Legal experts predict these strategies will be key
- Therapy by chatbot? The promise and challenges in using AI for mental health
- What is the Hatch Act — and what count as a violation?
- 2 striking teacher unions in Massachusetts face growing fines for refusing to return to classroom
- With less access to paid leave, rural workers face hard choices about health, family
- Hollywood Foreign Press Association Awards $1 Million Grant to InsideClimate News
- Ohio to Build First Offshore Wind Farm in Great Lakes, Aims to Boost Local Industry
Recommendation
-
Controversial comedian Shane Gillis announces his 'biggest tour yet'
-
Many Americans don't know basic abortion facts. Test your knowledge
-
2016: How Dakota Pipeline Protest Became a Native American Cry for Justice
-
Pennsylvania Battery Plant Cashes In on $3 Billion Micro-Hybrid Vehicle Market
-
How Ben Affleck Really Feels About His and Jennifer Lopez’s Movie Gigli Today
-
Saudi Arabia’s Solar Ambitions Still Far Off, Even With New Polysilicon Plant
-
A guide to 9 global buzzwords for 2023, from 'polycrisis' to 'zero-dose children'
-
Jimmie Allen's Estranged Wife Alexis Shares Sex of Baby No. 3