'Two-tiers' loom over Europe
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.BONN - Amid unprecedented mistrust, European finance ministers meet in Brussels today to try to scotch a growing perception that the Maastricht treaty is dead and a 'two-speed' Europe its inevitable successor, writes Sarah Lambert.
A report in the German news magazine Der Spiegel today undermines their efforts. Citing sources close to the German Chancellor, it details how Helmut Kohl and President Francois Mitterrand allegedly agreed when they met in Paris last week not only to pursue plans for a single currency, but to work on the creation of a joint independent central bank. The article was yesterday dismissed as 'completely fictitious' by a German-government spokesman who denied the topic had even been discussed.
In Paris, the French Minister for European Affairs, Elisabeth Guigou, said in a newspaper interview that a Europe of 'variable geometry' was possible and might even be desirable if it was the only way to sustain the momentum for closer union.
Other French sources reported that Mr Kohl and Mr Mitterrand had also discussed the possibility of enlarging the scope of the Franco-German brigade to include other EC countries such as Belgium and Spain. They have already explored such a possibility, but reopening the discussion now underscores the perception that, should Britain or Denmark attempt to impede the Maastricht process, France and Germany are determined to plough ahead, taking their supporters - the Benelux countries - with them. The result would indeed be a two-tier Europe.
The EC's financial crisis does not feature formally on today's Brussels agenda but will overshadow discussion. It is suggested the ministers might try to tighten exchange-rate mechanism rules so that the franc is allowed to fluctuate only 1 per cent either side of its permitted central rate against the German mark, instead of the current 2.5 per cent. Such a decision would imply a big step towards integration of the French and German currencies.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments