"Solidarity and competitiveness are two sides of same coin." Angela Merkel has set Friday, his conception of economic and monetary union, and addressing an audience of business leaders has been its register closer to management than to the lyrical. While she stated emphatically that "the euro is our currency, and much more than money, is Europe today. If the euro broke out, the whole of Europe that would break out. "
But after this preamble, the Chancellor declined very clearly what was meant by a single currency for a community of states. "It does not constitute an average match but the most efficient," she said. Analyzing the different phases of speculation in recent months, she believes that "there is also speculation that is based on the real causes that must be fought."Take the evil at its root, the least competitive and most indebted countries must put their own houses. Angela Merkel gave no details on the possible strengthening of the European financial stability under consideration, ie on the issue "solidarity."
British support
However, it was very explicit on the competitiveness aspect. "We must give a strong signal (markets) in debt and competitiveness," she insisted. "It is not possible to have a single currency and social systems differ.The retirement age should be the same everywhere, similar research efforts, the same sense of entrepreneurship cash advance loans… We're not competitive enough in Europe. "
Referring to the agenda for the French presidency of the G20, it stressed a point that does not figure among the priorities, namely the conclusion of the Doha Round negotiations. "Free trade is the basis of growth worldwide," she said. And it's not for nothing that she has joined the very free-swinger David Cameron, the British prime minister, to ask for concluding the Doha trade negotiations this year.
It's a completely different context than the leader of the British government manages public finances even more onerous than the euro area."This is a question of national sovereignty," acknowledged the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, recalling that his country will show the deficit this year the highest in the G7.
That is why David Cameron is quite proud that his country has kept its AAA rating from rating agencies. Upon taking office in May 2010, "the United Kingdom was equivalent status to that of Greece and Ireland, we are now out of danger zone." He sees it as a tribute to his strategy of "pro business".
Its budget strategy reordering of accounts, "for three quarters of spending cuts and a quarter of tax increases." Good prince, Cameron hopes that "the euro to succeed. Britain is a keen interest while 44% of its exports to the euro area. "