EU Leaders OK Looser Budget Deficit Rules
- Share via
European Union leaders endorsed looser budget deficit rules that should spare Germany and France from punishment, and backtracked on a plan to liberalize the market for services.
The leaders rubber-stamped a deal negotiated by their finance ministers Sunday under which countries would be given more time to bring excess deficits back under the EU limit and could claim exemption for all sorts of public spending.
The 25 leaders also agreed to ask the European Commission to rewrite a bill to throw open businesses to cross-border competition that threatens to derail a May 29 referendum on the EU constitution in France.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
John Orr was a renowned fire investigator who was also a prolific arsonist, and whose thinly veiled novel helped to convict him. In this episode we hear from the fire captain who first suspected him—and from Orr himself.
Madison McGhee is joined by legendary Dateline host Josh Mankiewicz and esteemed L.A. Times Reporter Richard Winton as the three of them dive into all-things Menendez Brothers, the good, the bad, and the still unknown.
NPR climate editor Sadie Babits talks about why the media has long overlooked the climate crisis, and how that’s starting to change.
