The battle over how to make agriculture sustainable and environmentally friendly stepped up a gear in Brussels as ministers haggled over how to distribute a proposed €380bn over six years.

Complex plans to raise billions of euro to fund projects and create jobs have been outlined to the European Investment Bank and European Commission.

Merkollande partnership forges ahead

European texting champions, post offices on every corner, eating out so often the domestic food bills were small, and leaving school early for well-paid jobs.

The reduction in labour costs in Ireland has been described as “remarkable” by the European economics commissioner Olli Rehn, who said further falls were expected this year and next.

When Irish finance ministers are smiling

Growth the buzzword in PMs’ graveyard

The likelihood of Ireland having to hold a second referendum on the fiscal treaty has been cut by the announcement the man tipped to be the next French president will seek an addition to the document rather than reopen it.

ECB president Mario Draghi has not shut the door on agreeing to help ease the burden of the €31bn Anglo Irish Bank promissory note bill.

Countries must persevere in their structural changes and deficit reduction, but they also need a growth compact now and must plan for economic union in the next 10 or 15 years, ECB president Mario Draghi has said.