European press review

Today's European papers are dominated by Tuesday's vote by eight EU countries to overrule the European Commission and allow France and Germany to escape penalties for breaching the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact.

Some commentators argue that the pact was in need of modification but all deplore the way in which the rules have been changed.

Slap in the face

The EU finance ministers' decision, France's Le Monde says, is "a real slap in the face for the European Commission" and "has opened a European crisis without precedent".

"This trial of strength against the Stability Pact for the benefit of France and Germany", the paper adds, "comes at a crucial time" as Europe negotiates on the draft of its first constitution.

France and Germany threw themselves against the security fence of the currency union and pulled the security personnel, the EU Commission, to the ground Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Moreover, it says, "nobody knows how the Commission and the Council [of Ministers] will be able to act in future against other countries whose public finances get out of hand".

Under the heading "Irresponsible", a commentary in Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung agrees that the decision is detrimental.

The Stability Pact, the paper argues, can now no longer command respect, and the authority of those watching over it has been damaged.

It is particularly unhappy about the manner in which France and Germany "threw themselves against the security fence of the currency union and pulled the security personnel, the EU Commission, to the ground".

"If this is the heart of the community," it says, "then there is cause for concern."

In the light of what has happened, the paper adds, the "German-French union much mooted of late, would indeed represent a threat rather than the promise of leadership".

It is permissible to change the rules, but not by breaking them Die Welt

Berliner Zeitung rejects the argument that further cutbacks as demanded by the Commission would slow down German economy recovery.

"After all," it says, "who says that the violation of the Stability Pact will not lead to even greater uncertainty among consumers and investors?"

Still in Germany, Die Welt questions the legality of the finance ministers' decision.

By blocking EU Commission proceedings, the paper says, "Germany has broken the law and destroyed trust, not just at home but across Europe".

It concedes that it might be useful to modify the pact but adds that this does not justify Berlin's stance.

"It is permissible to change the rules, but not by breaking them."

Unfair but sensible

Austria's Der Standard argues that the finance ministers' move is understandable.

The Pact is dead. So what? Everybody up to and including the Commission deplored its 'stupid rigidity' Liberation

"It is unfair that countries which do not comply with obligations should be granted generous exemptions, also because smaller countries, let alone the unruly southern Europeans, would presumably have received a rather serious thrashing and a stiff penalty."

But, it adds, the decision is "sensible" because otherwise Europe could forget about economic recovery.

"The Stability Pact Mark I is dead, and that's a good thing", the paper concludes, but this "does not mean that a completely new Stability Pact Mark II compelling countries to carry out real reforms, will not be urgently needed."

France's Liberation makes a similar point.

"The Pact is dead. So what? Everybody up to and including the (European) Commission deplored its 'stupid rigidity'."

But it also finds it "unhelpful" that Paris and Berlin should have chosen to "add an institutional crisis" to a community of nations already "finding themselves unable to agree on how to live together when their number rises to 25".

Bad example

"Welcome to a European house where you can do as you please," says a commentary in Paris's Nouvel Observateur.

Such, the paper believes, is the message sent by France and Germany to the 10 countries due to join the EU next year.

French arrogance has never been in such rude health Nouvel Observateur

The paper argues that France's deficit problems are caused by budgetary choices, not the international economic climate.

"In opting to cut taxes for political reasons", it says, the government "chose to engage in petty fiddling to the detriment of previous undertakings".

"French arrogance has never been in such rude health," it adds.

In Spain, ABC fears the decision may damage the euro which, it says, "before reaching adulthood is suffering from the irresponsibility of its parents".

The treatment accorded to France and Germany, the paper adds, "is not the best of examples" for those due to join in 2004, "for they have learnt that they are joining a club where the rules are changed when they don't suit senior members".

El Mundo also believes that the "Euroscandal" has seriously weakened the European project.

"France and Germany," it says, "have secured a Pyrrhic victory".

"They have won, but the cost of their triumph will be tremendous."

Double standards

The Czech daily Pravo contrasts the treatment accorded to Paris and Berlin with the "ruthless and unyielding" attitude to the ten candidate countries.

"Now that the EU Council, so strict with the poor, has turned an obliging blind eye to the two largest and richest members, the newcomers will hardly be willing to continue to strive to correct their shortcomings," it says.

The problem, it adds, is that "two sets of standards are beginning to be applied in the EU".

"To some, the rules are applied ruthlessly, while others get the softer approach."

"Next time round," it warns, "after more of the smaller countries have joined, the voting on sanctions might go the other way."

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.