The finance ministers of Germany
and Italy on Friday came out together in favor of EU measures to
stoke growth in order to counter anti-European extremism,
denying there was any conflict between Rome and Berlin.
In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Wolfgang Schaeuble
and Pier Carlo Padoan challenged "battle lines" drawn by some
commentators between Germany and Italy.
"On the contrary, Berlin and Rome agree on what Europe's
economic agenda should be," said the piece published in the
middle of a two-day EU summit in Brussels.
"For us, it is clear that sustainable growth must be our
common and essential goal.
"Growth will create jobs and help governments tackle public
debt.
"And promoting growth is the best way to keep the
extremist, anti-European parties in check.
"We believe that growth can be achieved by applying in full
the existing fiscal framework".
The ministers went on to urge structural reforms, deeper EU
integration, and boosting private and public investment.
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