Reactions to the Werner Plan
Reactions to the Werner Plan
Reactions to the Werner Plan
‘The Werner Plan — (1) Entirety and irreversibility', from Europe (19 October 1970)
TextIn his editorial of 19 October 1970, Emanuele Gazzo, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe, outlines the implications of the monetary policy of the Six as reviewed in the Werner Report on economic and monetary union.
‘The Werner Plan — (2) Economic union and political union: two different things', from Europe (20 October 1970)
TextIn his editorial of 20 October 1970, Emanuele Gazzo, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe, considers the feasibility of the implementation of the proposals set out in the Werner Plan on economic and monetary union and their impact on the process of European political union.
‘The Werner Plan — (3) Essential transfers with a precise objective', from Europe (21 October 1970)
TextIn his editorial of 21 October 1970, Emanuele Gazzo, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe, reviews the scope of the reforms to the Community institutional framework recommended in the Werner Report on economic and monetary union.
‘The Werner Plan — (4) Has the vicious circle of preconditions been broken?', from Europe (22 October 1970)
TextIn his editorial of 22 October 1970, Emanuele Gazzo, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe, highlights the need for a strong political Europe to guarantee the implementation of the Werner Plan on economic and monetary union.
Communication from the Commission on the Werner Plan (30 October 1970)
TextOn 30 October 1970, the European Commission forwards to the Council a communication in which it declares itself to be largely in favour of the proposals set out in the Werner Report on the stage-by-stage implementation of European economic and monetary union.
Draft Council Resolution (30 October 1970)
TextOn 30 October 1970, the European Commission submits to the Council a draft resolution on the implementation of the first stage (1971-1973) of European economic and monetary union.
Proposal for a Council Decision (30 October 1970)
TextOn 30 October 1970, in anticipation of the implementation of the Werner Report, the European Commission submits to the Council a proposal for a decision on strengthening coordination between the six Member States’ short-term economic policies.
Draft Council Decision (30 October 1970)
TextOn 30 October 1970, in anticipation of the implementation of the Werner Report, the European Commission submits to the Council a draft decision on the strengthening of cooperation between the central banks of the Member States of the European Economic Community (EEC).
UNICE and the Werner Plan (2 December 1970)
TextOn 2 December 1970, the European employers’ association UNICE gives its views on the Werner Plan, which sets out a plan by stages for economic and monetary union.
Debates on the Werner Report (Brussels, 24 November 1970)
ImageOn 24 November 1970, the Foreign and Finance Ministers of the Six meet at the Palais des Congrès in Brussels to discuss the proposed establishment of an Economic and Monetary Union. At the talks, Karl Schiller (left), German Minister for Economic Affairs, meets his French counterpart, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.
Reactions in France
‘Monetary unification and national sovereignty’ from Le Monde (20 October 1970)
TextOn 20 October 1970, commenting on the submission by Pierre Werner, Luxembourg Prime Minister and Finance Minister, of the report on the stage-by-stage implementation of Economic and Monetary Union, on 8 October, the French daily newspaper Le Monde takes a critical look at the establishment of a single currency for the Member States of the European Communities.
'Talks between the Six on economic and monetary union', from Le Monde (24 November 1970)
TextOn 24 November 1970, the French daily newspaper Le Monde reports on the debates on the Council of Foreign Ministers and in the Council of Finance Ministers of the Six regarding the Werner Report on the feasibility of European economic and monetary union.
‘The Werner Report commits the future of Europe’, from Le Monde diplomatique
TextIn November 1970, the French monthly publication Le Monde diplomatique welcomes the proposals set out in the Werner Report concerning the stage-by-stage implementation of European economic and monetary union.
‘France does not want to commit itself too soon’, from Süddeutsche Zeitung
TextOn 21 December 1970, the German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung outlines France's hostility towards any notion of revising the Rome Treaties for the purpose of implementing a European economic and monetary union.
Interview with Jacques de Larosière: reactions in France after the publication of the Werner Report (Paris, 22 May 2008)
Audio extractIn this interview, Jacques de Larosière, former Treasury Director at the French Ministry of Finance, describes reactions in France following the publication of the Werner Report on the stage-by-stage creation of a European economic and monetary union. Jacques de Larosière particularly focuses on the establishment of the European monetary snake and the European Monetary Cooperation Fund (EMCF).
Reactions in the FRG
'Economic and monetary union', from Stuttgarter Zeitung (17 October 1970)
TextOn 17 October 1970, the German daily newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung welcomes the commitment of the Luxembourg Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Pierre Werner, to European economic and monetary union.
‘Bonn presses for adoption of Werner Plan for EEC', from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (17 October 1970)
TextOn 17 October 1970, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is adamant about compliance with the timetable laid down for the establishment of economic and monetary union in Europe, on the basis of the conclusions set out in the Werner Plan.
Debates in the Bundestag on the Werner Plan (Bonn, 6 November 1970)
TextOn 6 November 1970, Karl Schiller, Minister for Economic Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), emphasises before the Bundestag the connection between monetary and political union in Europe and stresses the significance of the Werner Report.
Address given by Karl Schiller (Strasbourg, 18 November 1970)
TextOn 18 November 1970, Karl Schiller, West German Finance Minister, addresses the European Parliament on the implementation of the successive stages that should bring about economic and monetary union among the Six.
'Not just plaudits for the Werner Plan', from Süddeutsche Zeitung (24 November 1970)
TextOn 24 November 1970, the German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung comments on the first debates held in the Council of Ministers on the Werner Report on European economic and monetary union. Germany and France are quick to contest some of the conclusions reached during those debates.
Reactions in Great Britain
The work of the Council
Statement by Karl Schiller on the realisation of an economic and monetary union (Bonn, 10 February 1971)
TextOn 10 February 1971, Karl Schiller, German Minister for Economic Affairs, comments on the planned implementation of an economic and monetary union following the decisions taken the previous day in Brussels at the end of the Ecofin Council of the European Communities.
‘Agreement on Economic and Monetary Union in the EEC’ from the Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant (10 February 1971)
TextOn 10 February 1971, the day after the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Community in Brussels, the Netherlands daily newspaper Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant outlines the various stages for the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union as provided for by the Werner Report.
‘The Brussels agreement’ from Die Welt (11 February 1971)
TextOn 11 February 1971, the German daily newspaper Die Welt outlines the decisions adopted two days earlier in Brussels by the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community (EEC) regarding the establishment of an economic and monetary union as recommended in the Werner Report.
The work of the Council
'What was decided in Brussels' from Il Corriere della Sera (11 February 1971)
TextOn 11 February 1971, shortly after the meeting of the Ecofin Council of the European Communities, the Italian daily newspaper Il Corriere della Sera gives details of the outcome of the meeting in Brussels and emphasises the possible effects of an Economic and Monetary Union for Italy.
'A turning point' from Il Popolo (11 February 1971)
TextOn 11 February 1971, the Italian daily newspaper Il Popolo welcomes the work done by the Council of Ministers of the European Community in Brussels for the establishment of an economic and monetary union.
Press release from the German Government on the establishment of an Economic and Monetary Union (12 February 1971)
TextOn 12 February 1971, the German Federal Government welcomes the decisions taken on 9 February by the Council of Ministers of the European Community in Brussels regarding the establishment in stages of an Economic and Monetary Union.
Resolution on the achievement by stages of economic and monetary union in the Community (22 March 1971)
TextOn 22 March 1971, following the deliberations of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) held on 8 and 9 February 1971, the Council and the representatives of the Member States adopt a resolution on the achievement by stages of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).