Renzi calls for EU action on growth

Prime minister Matteo Renzi kicked off Italy’s six-month spell in the rotating presidency of the European Union with a fresh call for action to boost economic growth in the 28-member bloc.

Renzi has led calls for Europe to move from budget austerity towards expansion but in his speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg he repeated that Italy was a net contributor to the European Union budget and was not looking for “short cuts”.

He made only passing reference to the discussion at last week’s European Council in Brussels at which EU leaders agreed that countries which undertook structural reforms should be allowed more leeway on tight EU budget rules.