Europe’s deteriorating economic outlook spoke to EU leaders meeting in Brussels. According to Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP), no easy solutions are expected to the situation.
BRUSSELS Inflation, which is pushing up consumer purchasing power, became the main topic of the European Council on Friday. According to Prime Minister Marin, tackling rising prices is challenging.
“The high price of energy is in many ways the root cause of this inflation, and it is difficult to address it, as it is, of course, strongly dependent on Russian fossil energy,” Marin commented after the meeting.
The European Council calls on the Commission to find ways to address rising energy prices and secure energy supplies. The summit’s conclusions mention, among other things, price caps on imported energy.
More generally, according to Marin, economic development is difficult to assess.
– The outlook is blurred, there are not many solutions.
According to Marini, the negative effects of inflation are difficult to avoid.
– Unfortunately, there are known problems and there are no easy solutions to this situation.
Marin calls for restraint in deciding economic policy.
– Panic solutions that further disrupt the market should be avoided.
Von der Leyen: There is no return to cheap fossil energy
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasizes that the European economy will grow in 2022 and 2023, albeit at a slower pace than previously expected.
According to Von der Leyn, it is important to assess, in particular, the impact of inflation and high energy prices on vulnerable people.
However, there is no return to cheap fossil energy, von der Leyen emphasizes.
– It is essential that we help vulnerable households and businesses adapt to change.