Countries ‘ignore’ EU advice over spending

Germany and France have ignored recommendations from EU finance ministers and the European Commission to changes to their economies over the past two years, despite demanding the EU take ever greater control over countries’ spending, a study has shown.

The findings come as European commissioner Ollie Rehn announced an investigation into Germany’s economy and tomorrow, will ask governments to make changes to their national budgets for 2014 in line with the EU’s new strict surveillance of national economies.

The study, prepared by experts for the European Parliament, looked at the recommendations made to seven EU countries for last year and 2011, and lists them under three headings of ‘no action taken’, ‘serious work in progress’ and ‘fully implemented’.