German chancellor Angela Merkel told a press conference in Berlin on Friday she finds prime minister Mark Rutte’s proposal for an independent EU commissioner in charge of budgetary discipline ‘very interesting’.

Rutte is in Berlin to discuss the euro crisis with Merkel before the EU leaders meeting on October 17. The two leaders told the press they are in agreement on their approach to the meeting.
Merkel said she agrees with Rutte that there are currently insufficient means to force countries which allow their debt to mount up or have a budget deficit which breaks euro zone rules to put their house in order.
‘The Dutch proposal helps with this,’ said Merkel.