Eurozone summit looms amid growing hostility to Franco-German pact

EUObserver reports that a March 2011 date for a rare eurozone leaders' summit was beginning to firm up as hostility grew amongst some member states to a fiercely conservative Franco-German proposal for economic convergence launched in early February 2011.

Subsequently, EUObserver reported that as anger mounted on the left and amongst unions at European economic governance plans, Belgian workers said they wanted to blockade all access to Brussels and paralyse the European capital in an attempt to shut down the European summit of 24 March 2011. France's powerful CGT union was considering joining them.

EurActiv, 10.2.11: Merkel faces internal critics on 'competitiveness pact' http://www.euractiv.com/competition/merkel-faces-internal-critics-competitiveness-pact-news-502042

El País, 3.3.11: Where will a musclebound Germany lead us? (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/524561-where-will-musclebound-germany-lead-us

EUObserver, 23.2.11: Poland backs Franco-German pact, but wants in on talks http://euobserver.com/9/31861

The Economist, No.8720, 12.2.11: Charlemagne. The union within the union http://www.economist.com/node/18112137

EurActiv, 16.2.11: EU debt talks still 'a building site' http://www.euractiv.com/en/euro-finance/eu-debt-talks-building-site-news-502195

EUObserver, 4.3.11: Unions could block all routes into Brussels to shut down EU summit http://euobserver.com/9/31925

EUObserver, 4.3.11: Centre-right leaders prepare economic battle-lines http://euobserver.com/9/31927

EurActiv, 9.2.11: Berlin, Paris open to compromise on economic pact http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/berlin-paris-open-compromise-euro-zone-economic-pact-news-502003

ESO: Background information: Cracks over Franco-German eurozone plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/cracks-over-franco-german-eurozone-plan/

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