During the plenary session of the European Parliamen in Strasbourg, Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of the European Council makes a statement on the G20 meeting and the economic situation in the EU.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

G20 summit (T)

VAN ROMPUY, Herman (BE)

European Council meeting 16 September 2010 (T)

economic situation in Europe (T)

Conclusions of the European Council of meeting 16 September 2010: statement by Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of the European Council

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14032852/ebs72541Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (French), Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of European Council, I have asked and called for a common position of all 27 Member States even if not all 27 MS are not present at the G20. M. BARROSO and myself we represent the union as the EU and so we have worked a common position and I can assure you that during the G8 and the G20 meetings , the MS and representatives of the EU have the same message. Now there are moments when positive things happen and we make progress and at that level progress is made. and it is the largest world conference, that we have the G20.

SOUNDBITE (French), Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of the European Council, Second observation the economic policy and governance. During the last two years our economic policy has been intelligent much more intelligent than in the past. We wasted 10 years , we ought to have acted earlier, on our budgets and on competitiveness and we didn't and it is because we did nit act in time that we have the problems now . So what have we done since we had the financial crisis; I am not talking about saving the banks and so on. our policy was very risky it was expansionist, into 2008 and 2009 A risky policy because it increased budget deficits but once you see growth starting again, from that moment when growth starts again then we started our budgetary consolidation policy gradually reducing budget deficit.