EU leaders to hold extra summit to discuss economic crisis

PanARMENIAN.Net - EU presidency summons leaders to discuss economic crisis and takes aim at protectionist sentiments.



Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has called an extra summit of EU leaders at the end of February to discuss the economic crisis and address the danger of protectionism, he announced today.



In a press conference in Prague, Topolanek said he had decided to call the summit because of "certain protectionist measures and statements". His remarks were taken as a reference to calls by Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, for French carmakers to close factories in Eastern Europe and return production to France.



Topolanek said that the European economy is "in crisis mode" and is getting worse "by the day".



No precise date has been set for the summit although it will be held in the last eight days of February. The exact date will be announced on Wednesday (11 February) when Topolanek has a meeting in Brussels with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.



EU leaders are scheduled to meet on March 19-20 for the usual spring summit, at which they will focus on the EU's economic recovery plan.



German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hosting a meeting of European leaders in Berlin on 22 February to prepare for the G20 summit being held in London on 2 April. The London meeting will be attended by US President Barack Obama on what will be his first official visit to Europe since taking office, European Voice reports.