Rutte adamant on euro summit, no more powers for Brussels

The Netherlands will continue to press for automatic sanctions against eurozone countries which break the rules, prime minister Mark Rutte said ahead of a two-day summit in Brussels to try to tackle the eurozone debt crisis


The talks on Thursday and Friday have been described by some analysts as do-or-die for the 17 eurozone nations, the BBC reported.
The BBC says Germany and France are pushing for new EU treaties which would enshrine stricter rules. But European Council President Herman Van Rompuy is offering a plan which only requires amending the treaties.
Rutte told parliament on Wednesday night the Netherlands does not want to hand over any power to Brussels and that this would not be necessary if slight amendments are made.
The prime minister declined to comment on the German and French plans but did say he was not keen on a monthly meeting of the eurozone leaders. A change in the treaties is not an end in itself, but should be a way to make sure monetary union rules are being met, he said.
Elections
Labour, the biggest opposition party, said if any treaty involved handing over more power to Brussels there should be a general election.
‘If powers really are being transferred, I think you should give voters their say and the best way to do that is through a general election,’ PvdA leader Job Cohen said.
The minority cabinet needs PvdA support on Europe because its alliance partner, the anti-Islam PVV, opposes putting any more money into a rescue fund for struggling eurozone economies.

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