• Germany edition
Photo: DPA

Schäuble slams Cameron for blocking EU deal

Published: 27 Jan 12 12:22 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20120127-40385.html

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble took a jab at Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday, blaming him for Europe's failure to agree a common debt-reduction treaty.

Cameron has refused to take Britain into a proposed EU fiscal pact, which would see member states agreeing to common deficit reduction targets, forcing other states to draw up an agreement outside the Union's treaty structure.

Challenged at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Swedish Euro-MP Anna Maria Corazza Bildt over this approach, Schäuble said: "I would like to give you the mobile number of David Cameron."

"Of course, this is not a joke," he continued, as laughter erupted. "It would be much more better and better to understand for everyone outside of Europe, if we were to do what we will now have to do in our fiscal compact in the framework of European treaties.

"But that has to be done by unanimous decision, that is the basis of European treaties. Therefore, for the meantime, we go for 17 plus, I hope, nine. Everyone is invited to join," he said.

Following Cameron's refusal to take part, Germany and France pushed for the 17 nations of the eurozone single currency bloc to take part and they hope that nine more non-eurozone members will join them.

Cameron has been unrepentant, coming to Davos on Thursday to berate his EU allies for failing to promote growth and for seeking to introduce a financial transaction tax he regards as sheer "madness."

European leaders will meet on Monday hoping to turn the page on the sovereign debt crisis that has undermined the euro and threatened the bloc's weakest members with financial collapse.

AFP/mry

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

12:44 January 27, 2012 by HelloOutThere
Schäuble is right, but you also have to take the British perspective into consideration. What else do they have beside their financial sector based in London - they are completely depended on it. Their traditional industry is slowly sold to foreign companies (e.g. Bentley to Volkswagen, Rollce Royce Motors and Mini to BMW, Jaguar to Tata Motors). Without their financial sector Britain would become a third world country.
13:14 January 27, 2012 by Anth2305
Take a wander around some of our major cities and one could be excused for thinking that we have already become a third world country.
13:23 January 27, 2012 by Englishted
Both comments are true however HelloOutThere how would Germany react to a export tax on manufactured goods ,or France with high tax on wine.

It was a deliberate attack on G.B. for no good reason unless it was done to make the P.M. react the way he did and us a veto so there is a scape goat for what will be the demise of the €uro, and still they don't learn another no hope country will be joining the E.U. soon to bleed it even drier.
13:58 January 27, 2012 by HelloOutThere
@ Englishted: That's exactly what I said - Charles de Gaulle used to say there are no friendships between countries, only interests. Of course Germany would be against an export tax on manufactured goods, but I dare to say that the participation of the financial sector in causing the financial crises is higher than the participation of exporting goods.

I'm pretty sure that the Euro will keep on existing - there might be some states like Greece which could leave the Eurozone, but nevertheless the Euro will still be there.

What most Britons don't seem to know is that during the last years the British Pound has lost up to 40% of its value against the Euro (and in my opinon the British Pound is still totally overrated).
14:19 January 27, 2012 by Anth2305
It's conveniently forgotten that most people in the UK believed that we were signing up to a powerful European trading alliance, aka the Common Market, not a dogmatic single political union, which increasingly encroaches on people's everyday lives (most accept the fact that there has to be harmonisation and standardisation with goods) and of course it's not helped by the fact that people don't understand that the, frequently in the headlines, ECHR is independent of the EU, which always manages, without fail, to receive the full blame for some of its more bizarre decisions, however at least the one saving grace for this country is that we do still have our fiscal independence.
15:57 January 27, 2012 by Englishted
@HelloOutThere

Your comment about the financial sector's link to the crisis is correct ,so this is not a tax is it a fine ?.

Most Britons don't give a fig about the pound to euro exchange rate unless it for their holiday spending money,I know about as it will be detrimental to my pension,but on what basic do you say it is over rated against the €uro with the problems of the southern states not going away no matter how deep the leaders of the big two hide their heads in the sand.

If as you say there are countries that must leave where does this leave the treaties signed, sealed and ignored.

Strange that I agree with a Tory on anything but this time he is right we need growth to get out of this mess not more cuts that was the way of the thirties and look where that led.Spain has now half it's young people out of work this is a powder keg,I am sure we agree that this situation can led to a dangerous growth of extremism and nobody with a small amount of common sense would want that.
19:13 January 27, 2012 by HelloOutThere
@ Englishted:

Isn't Cameron doing the same in the UK at the moment - I mean saving a lot of money?

Best regards to you
19:35 January 27, 2012 by carlm
Schauble and all others of similar opinion are idiots. Kollectivism is what caused the problem, individualism - countries taking responsibility for their own problems is what will solve it. Good for Cameron, at least he has some sanity.
23:27 January 27, 2012 by Cambooya
I don't reside in Europe, so I have no feelings toward any country, but common sense would dictate that if you as a country belong to a union of any kind, then you follow the rules of the majority. If for instance should the British ever find themself in a Greek position, personally I wouldn't support them with a shilling, considering the stance they have taken.
14:13 January 28, 2012 by coffejohn
So we have come to this, Germany blaming the UK for not sacrificing it`s own interests to save Germany from doing the same in order to save the Euro.

Sorry to sound rather convoluted but thats English.

But another way Germany knows what it needs to do to save the Euro but will not do so as it will cost them too much. The other option is to get every other European state to play Merkel`s game but the UK will not as it will cost us too much, apart from the minor fact that it is not our problem.

So now rather than address the problem Germany is resorting to the blame game, a well known strategy designed to save face when a mistake has occurred.

Germany would be better served simply stating its case and standing on its principles. If this results in a Euro crises then so be it, better to lance this boil than let it fester.
15:17 January 28, 2012 by Michel_Berlin
When is England leaving the EU? Scotland can stay! :)
15:51 January 28, 2012 by raandy
Schäuble slams a lot of people, its who he is.

I have a lot of respect for the English and think their banking situation is different than the continent. Cameron is doing what he and many in and outside his party believe is best for England. I would,t count the English out they have survived bigger problems.
20:51 January 28, 2012 by Chango Mutney
The EU is like the Catholic religion in the 16th century. The Pope hated England because it was now Protestant and Philip of Spain decided that England must be taught a lesson, using death and misery to defeat the English in 1588 The belief in the Catholic religion was equally as strong as those who believe in the EU.

There needs to be dramatic changes made in the EU, it is not a democratic organisation, there is no acceptance of deviance, like the Catholic Church. Faced with the most serious problems in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland the heirarchy cannot see or accept that these problems exist and persist in blaming Britain as bad Europeans.

Last week I read something which was only recently released by the government. In 1947 half of the food and coal to feed and keep the British warm was shared with Germany because the German people were dying of hunger and freezing to death. Giving half of what we had to help Germany in their need after defeat. Yes we British are rotten Europeans !
08:55 January 29, 2012 by McM
There is a Eurupean Union which share trade culture and some legal agreements and there is the Eurozone which share the common euro currency. Not all European Union members are members of the Eurozone, a position that has long been accepted. To try and hang the euro crisis on none Eurozone members as a distraction is a bit pathetic.
12:26 January 30, 2012 by bearded1
IF there had been a REFERENDUM in GERMANY so the people could say what they wanted to happen with the €uro in the begining there would still be the DEUTSCHE MARK but as with everything the government decided for them and now we are all in DEEP SH**
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Expanding drone fleet raises privacy concerns

Germany's armed forces and police currently operate 331 high-tech drones inside and outside the country, and the government intends to swell the fleet, according to a media report that has alarmed civil rights advocates. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Milder weather on the way for the weekend

Spring is coming ever closer in Germany, as mild temperatures and light rain are forecasted for the next few days. But nights will remain frosty in the south, the German Weather Service (DWD) reported. READ »

Photo: DPA

Obama praises Merkel’s euro crisis leadership

Despite plenty of transatlantic tensions over the eurozone debt crisis, US President Barack Obama phoned German Chancellor Angela Merkel to congratulate her on concluding a new Greek bailout deal. READ (10 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Frankfurt Airport workers halt strike for talks

Frankfurt Airport's tarmac traffic controllers have called off their five-day strike after the company that runs Germany's largest air hub offered to negotiate over their wage demands. READ (6 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Defrocked, defrauded: man cons abusive bishop

A 29-year-old German man has been charged with conning Walter Mixa, a former Catholic bishop who resigned following child abuse allegations, out of nearly €5,000. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Germany told to stop sex offender castration

The Council of Europe's anti-torture committee on Wednesday urged Germany to abolish the surgical castration of sex offenders, warning that the operation could amount to "degrading treatment." READ (17 COMMENTS) »

Have Your Say
Photo: DPA

Can Gauck be president 'while living in sin?'

Germans generally agree that Joachim Gauck is a good choice for president. But can the ex-pastor be the nation's moral authority while staying married to one woman yet living with another set to become First Lady? Have your say. READ (11 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Internet 'scammer' freed in surprise move

Megaupload.com boss Kim Dotcom was freed on bail in a surprise move Wednesday, after a New Zealand judge dismissed fears he would flee the country to escape US online piracy charges. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

More Politics
Highlights
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
The Local’s media roundup surveys opinion on Joachim Gauck’s ascension to the German presidency
Photo: DPA
SOCIETY »
Can't understand Cologne's traditional drinking songs being sung by Karneval revellers? A German-American couple has published translations in English.
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
President Christian Wulff's resignation may be quickly forgotten, but Chancellor Angela Merkel’s poor judgement will remain, writes The Local’s Marc Young.
Photo: DPA
LIFESTYLE »
The boozy zaniness of Karneval isn't just for Catholics from the Rhineland. Who needs naked Samba dancers in Rio when you have drunk Germans in clown suits in Cologne, right?
Photo: DPA
LIFESTYLE »
What's on in Germany: February 16 - 22
Photo: Dreamworks Studios, War Horse
LIFESTYLE »
Find the latest movies in English playing in Germany with The Local's cinema guide.
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
Should people without children pay more taxes to help shore up Germany's social security system? Have your say.
Photo: DPA
LIFESTYLE »
Sabine Devins tackles immunisations and baby pharmaceuticals in the latest instalment of Motherhood in the Fatherland.
Photo: Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain
LIFESTYLE »
What's on in Germany: February 9 - 15
Photo: Vocalex
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Extend your German vocabulary with Vocalex
Photo ECLA
SPONSORED ARTICLE
A truly international education at the heart of Berlin
Photo: Bavarian International School
SPONSORED ARTICLE
A global education - a Bavarian community



See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

1248 jobs available
700 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest news from The Local in Sweden

More news from Sweden at thelocal.se

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
English-speaking educators (native level)

Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!