EU: Jyrki Katainen says reform is as vital as economic stimulus

Greece dominates the headlines when it comes to the European economy. But the story is bigger than that. It is also about growth and getting people back into work. Maithreyi Seetharaman from Euronews caught up with Jyrki Katainen, the Vice President of the European Commission, in charge of Growth, Employment, Competition and Investment.

Maithreyi Seetharaman: “How flexible is Europe actually in terms of policies? And is Greece a prime example of that question?”

Jyrki Katainen: “There are only a few countries who can afford to stimulate their economies. But the best stimulus which all Member States can do now is to carry out reforms. To really change or reform the country in a way that makes it more flexible, when it comes to the labour market or when talking about how easy their business environment is. So flexibility and stimulus mean they have to be ready to reform our societies, and many governments are doing this.”

Maithreyi Seetharaman: “Would you say that Greece is not? Or would you say that maybe Europe is very slow to react, and the Eurogroup meetings, the Troika meetings end up going nowhere?”

Jyrki Katainen says reform is as vital as economic stimulus | euronews, interview