ECB president wants better use of pact

European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said the European Stability and Growth pact should be applied better, but not changed, despite the danger of several euro zone members breaching the 3% of GDP limit for their budget deficit.

Speaking in Washington, where he is attending a G7 meeting, Trichet said it would be wrong to regard the pact as dead, and wrong to re-word it.

But he said more can be done to improve its implementation, particularly by looking at structural imbalances and encouraging euro zone members to pursue healthy budgetary policies at times of strong economic growth.