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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EU to debate extra stimulus calls | EU to debate extra stimulus calls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| European Union leaders are set to begin a two-day summit in Brussels aimed at agreeing a strategy for tackling the international economic crisis. | European Union leaders are set to begin a two-day summit in Brussels aimed at agreeing a strategy for tackling the international economic crisis. |
| The talks take place as the world's biggest economies prepare for next month's G20 summit in London. | The talks take place as the world's biggest economies prepare for next month's G20 summit in London. |
| Correspondents say EU member states are resisting US calls to spend even more public money to revive their economies. | Correspondents say EU member states are resisting US calls to spend even more public money to revive their economies. |
| Germany and France believe stronger regulation should be a priority, while the UK wants more available credit. | Germany and France believe stronger regulation should be a priority, while the UK wants more available credit. |
| Energy security is also expected to figure prominently at the talks in response to the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine in January that led to severe shortages for millions across Eastern Europe. | Energy security is also expected to figure prominently at the talks in response to the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine in January that led to severe shortages for millions across Eastern Europe. |
| The Czech Republic, holders of the EU presidency, will meanwhile call for an "Eastern Partnership" with countries in the former Soviet bloc. | The Czech Republic, holders of the EU presidency, will meanwhile call for an "Eastern Partnership" with countries in the former Soviet bloc. |
| Before the summit started, the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, warned against empty rhetoric. | Before the summit started, the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, warned against empty rhetoric. |
| "What our citizens need now is not words, they need action. I've said it before - implementation, not gesticulation," he said. | "What our citizens need now is not words, they need action. I've said it before - implementation, not gesticulation," he said. |
| Tighter regulation | Tighter regulation |
| The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels says that with output tumbling and millions of jobs at risk across the continent, EU leaders seem to have few fresh ideas to offer and little appetite to throw more public money at the crisis. | The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels says that with output tumbling and millions of jobs at risk across the continent, EU leaders seem to have few fresh ideas to offer and little appetite to throw more public money at the crisis. |
| We should send a strong message... of our faith in the scope and effectiveness of our own stimulus programmes Joint letter by France and Germany href="/1/hi/world/europe/7953140.stm">Union chief urges bigger EU pledge class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/">Mardell: Dose of German discipline href="/1/hi/world/europe/7951418.stm">EU chokes on cost of rescue class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7952466.stm">Europe's jobs evaporate | |
| The focus at their two-day summit will be on implementing existing recovery plans, worth 400bn euros ($540bn; £376bn) between 2009 and 2010 - equivalent to 3.3% of the EU's gross domestic product - rather than announcing new ones as Washington wants, our correspondent says. | The focus at their two-day summit will be on implementing existing recovery plans, worth 400bn euros ($540bn; £376bn) between 2009 and 2010 - equivalent to 3.3% of the EU's gross domestic product - rather than announcing new ones as Washington wants, our correspondent says. |
| In a joint letter, Germany and France indicated Europe was doing enough and said the top priority for the G20 summit on 2 April should be to build up new "global financial architecture", with stronger regulation and sanctions to tackle the roots of the crisis. | In a joint letter, Germany and France indicated Europe was doing enough and said the top priority for the G20 summit on 2 April should be to build up new "global financial architecture", with stronger regulation and sanctions to tackle the roots of the crisis. |
| "We should send a strong message... of our faith in the scope and effectiveness of our own stimulus programmes," they said. | "We should send a strong message... of our faith in the scope and effectiveness of our own stimulus programmes," they said. |
| But British diplomats in Brussels say the UK will emphasise that there is a need to make more credit available, and to combat protectionism. | But British diplomats in Brussels say the UK will emphasise that there is a need to make more credit available, and to combat protectionism. |
| Pipeline squabble | Pipeline squabble |
| EU leaders are expected to offer to contribute $100bn towards doubling the money that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has to help countries in trouble. | EU leaders are expected to offer to contribute $100bn towards doubling the money that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has to help countries in trouble. |
| After the winter gas crisis, energy security is a major issue | After the winter gas crisis, energy security is a major issue |
| There is also willingness to put billions more into an 25bn euro ($34; £23.5bn) EU fund for hard-hit Eastern European economies, which Hungary and Latvia are already drawing on. | There is also willingness to put billions more into an 25bn euro ($34; £23.5bn) EU fund for hard-hit Eastern European economies, which Hungary and Latvia are already drawing on. |
| But our correspondent says there has been much squabbling over what may seem very little - a European Commission plan to use 5bn euros ($6.75bn; £4.7bn) in unspent farm subsidies for new energy and intranet infrastructure. | But our correspondent says there has been much squabbling over what may seem very little - a European Commission plan to use 5bn euros ($6.75bn; £4.7bn) in unspent farm subsidies for new energy and intranet infrastructure. |
| The German government opposes spending some of the money on Nabucco, a planned pipeline that would bring gas from Central Asia to Europe, bypassing Russia - a project backed by many former communist countries and the US. | The German government opposes spending some of the money on Nabucco, a planned pipeline that would bring gas from Central Asia to Europe, bypassing Russia - a project backed by many former communist countries and the US. |
| An official close to Nabucco told the BBC that the row was quite unhelpful, as the companies involved in the project are hoping to reach agreements on gas supplies from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan by the summer. | An official close to Nabucco told the BBC that the row was quite unhelpful, as the companies involved in the project are hoping to reach agreements on gas supplies from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan by the summer. |