Sweden not ready to scrap fiscal stimuli
Sweden’s Finance Minister Anders Borg said he's not ready to withdraw fiscal stimuli yet.
| Related news: • EU to raise IMF funding to 125 billion euros • Sweden’s FinMin slams bankers' bonuses |
European Union finance minister agreed on Wednesday not to be too hasty in withdrawing fiscal stimuli introduced to curb the financial crisis although “the punch bowl” has to be removed at some point.
Anders Borg said that Sweden is not ready to scrap the fiscal stimuli. However, talks will be held during the autumn about a way back to sustainable fiscal politics.
“Most countries have given broad support to the banking sector and there is a risk that excessive risk taking could return when the economy improves and therefore it's important to find a common position”, he told The Swedish Wire and other reporters, adding that most EU countries are on the same page.
Also Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the 16-member group of eurozone finance ministers, said that its to early to withdraw from the fiscal stimulus.
“We have to continue this effort in the course of this year and next year. Then we have to agree on an exit strategy”, he said during a press conference.
However, the Dutch finance minister said “We will need to think about exit strategies, because in the end the huge deficits will threaten the euro”.
Germany has also said that these extraordinary measures must be removed as soon as its safe to do so, Financial Times wrote, and return to fiscal and monetary self-discipline.
The ministers also agreed on a bonus crackdown. Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, also gave indirect support to a French proposal to set international limits on bankers' bonuses and said "We must stop the bonus berserk to restart."
"The bankers are partying like it's 1999, and it's 2009," he told The Swedish Wire and other reporters on his way to the Finance Minister's meeting in Brussels.
Bonuses in the finance sector have been in focus among many politicians since the credit crunch started and the critique has escalated the last couple of days. Last week French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced his intention to urge his G20 partners to limit banking bonuses, after winning a commitment from French bankers for a system of performance-related pay for traders.
The finance ministers also agreed to raise the bloc's contribution to the International Monetary Fund to 125 billion euros (178 billion dollars).
| • SIGN UP FOR FREE NEWSLETTER • ALL BREAKING NEWS ON TWITTER |
Last Updated (Wednesday, 02 September 2009 17:03)
























