Helle Thorning-Schmidt (left), Danish Prime Minister; Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council during a press conference at the EU Summit. PHOTO - THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Damion Mitchell, Editor – Radio & Online
BRUSSELS, Belgium:
European leaders have spent the first session of their crucial summit now underway in Brussels, Belgium discussing a growth strategy.
At the end of the first session of their talk on day one, president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, announced that some 120 billion euros will immediately be made available to fund growth measures in the bloc.
He says the money will flow across Europe and the more vulnerable countries will get the most.
“The key element is that we boost the financing of the economy,” he said noting that some of the money will be pumped into youth employment.
Meanwhile, the Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning Schmidt, says there is now a clear sign that the European Union has a firm determination to promote growth.
“Even though we are not quite finished... I think this will be be a novelty that we will have a light in the dark,” she said at a press conference.
Her views were endorsed by the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso who described the first session of talks as very significant.
Tomorrow the European leaders will look at how to deal with the financial sector.
