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Van Rompuy first floated the notion of structural-reform contracts ahead of a summit in October. The reception from EU leaders was cool, and the final declaration said the idea should be “explored”. But the latest draft of the conclusions for next week's summit (13-14 December), prepared by Van Rompuy's office, contains far stronger language. It says that all Member States must pursue economic growth and competitiveness and create jobs.
“To achieve this objective”, the draft says, “all Member States whose currency is the euro will enter into individual arrangements of a contractual nature with EU institutions on the measures and reforms they commit to undertake and on the means for their implementation". EU Member States outside the eurozone are free to conclude similar contracts, according to the draft.
The European Commission is to make a proposal next year on the specifics of these contracts and on the “means to support their implementation” – understood to be financial assistance for countries that pursue structural reform.
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