By KUNA,
Brussels : Leaders of the 27-member European Union have expressed support to the action plan adopted by the Eurogroup on Sunday in Paris.
“Europe as a whole without exception, supports the concerted action plan adopted in Paris on Sunday. We are faced with an unprecedented crisis and the 27 member states have a single united response,” Nicolas Sarkozy, French President and President-in-office of the EU Council, said at a news conference here late Wednesday night, following the first day of a meeting of EU leaders.
Leaders of 15 EU states which use the euro as a common currency agreed in Paris on a comprehensive package to support European banks, including making more than a 1,000 billion euros available for interbank loans.
“We all agree in Europe that we should re-found the international financial system. It must be clear that Europe will not face this crisis without drawing consequences,” said Sarkozy calling for the holding of a world financial summit to deal with the financial crisis.
On his part, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, told the joint news conference that the EU and the US must work hand in hand to produce a new international financial system so that we can also bring on board some emerging economies. “This crisis will have effects not only in Europe and in the US but also on the major emerging economies,” he noted.
On the climate issue, Barroso said despite the difficulties and economic pressures put forward by some EU member states, there was major consensus on the energy objectives of the European Commission’s climate and energy package. “I can say that there was major consensus on the objectives in the European Commission’s package, in other words 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, 20 percent renewable energy sources and 20 percent energy efficiency by 2020, ” added Barroso.
The EU leaders will end their two-day summit Thursday after issuing conclusions on the financial crisis, climate change and energy security, immigration and asylum policy and the crisis in Georgia.