ECB and EU Commission taking instructions from "big 4" member states

[Papinian]

Today in Paris German Chanellor Merkel, French President Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Brown and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi are meeting with head of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet, European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso and the chairman of the eurozone group of finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker. The monthly meeting of EU Economics and Finance Ministers from all 27 EU member states will happen on Monday and Tuesday.
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Europe agrees bank crisis action

None of the heads of government of the other 21 EU member states were invited. The Finnish government have strongly criticised this meeting of the "big 4 countries" with the ECB and European Commission. Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen said "In my opinion it's a very bad idea ... If big countries and representatives of EU institutions like the head of the ECB and maybe someone from the Commission meet today and discuss amongst themselves... it's not a good way to work. We're all in the same boat. ... Finland, Sweden and all EU countries should be in the same position as the decision makers ... Is the message from the meeting going to be: 'We have agreed on this and you have to accept it'? Let's hope not."
Finland says Paris summit very bad idea | Reuters

Not only has the Irish government failed to support Finland in its criticisms, Ireland's shambles of a state broadcaster RTE doesn't even report the Finnish government statement, notwithstanding its crucial relevance at a time when pressure is being brought to bear on Ireland to end the arrangements that it has put in place to support the Irish banking system. French finance minister Christine Lagarde is quoted today as saying "a measure decided in one [European Union] member state has to be shared in advance with other member states". (BBC NEWS | Business | French minister knocks Irish move)

Following the summit there has been a statement that the "big 4" have agreed to seek a relaxation of the EU rules governing the amount of money individual states could borrow.
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Europe agrees bank crisis action

My view is that if France, Britain, Italy and Germany want to meet to come up with proposals for consideration by other member states then that is their business, although they should be aware that among smaller member states such co-ordinated action by the larger member states is likely to engender concern about, for example, moving even further towards larger member states having greater voting weights in qualified majority voting.

However, the presence of head of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet and European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso at the summit is completely inappropriate.

The Irish government must show support for the Finnish statement. We can no longer allow the eurocrat-minded civil servants in the Department of Foreign Affairs to betray Irish interests.

[CookieMonster]

Oh looks like we know who pulls the strings in Europe now, if there was any doubt.

[toxic avenger]

Yep, shock and horror, the reality of our place in the new European order only really reveals itself when the sh1t hits the fan, the pretence can not be maintained when real decisions of importance have to be made in sharp order. Welcome to the Concert of Europe, 2008...

[bagel]

trichet & barosso have finally shed any pretence of impartiality;
if the lisbon treaty had been agreed then barosso would soon have the power to hire and fire commissioners;
after this serious error of judgement by him, it is he that should be fired;
as for trichet, he'll do whatever is necessary to keep interest rates at a level that is acceptable to germany and france and we can go fu@k ourselves.

[southwestkerry]

Sugar and hell's bell's together... I am seriously taken aback about hearing about the Finnish Gov statement and total silence at home about it, I would have though it would have being handy ammo for Biffo's use to keep the frogs in check but hell no. Quiet a let down I must say in all seriousness's.
The fact that I happened upon a few FG's boys [small timer's I admit] while in Tralee today and after a short chit chat about the week going by. Not an ionta was forthcoming about the Finn's despite me knowing one off them is in the know about all that kind off thing.
I must stress in all seriousness that its very disheartening that after seen positive and sound action taken to stop the rot in the banks this week and now back to being a pansy again it's a right let down.

[Myles_per_hour]

trichet & barosso have finally shed any pretence of impartiality;
if the lisbon treaty had been agreed then barosso would soon have the power to hire and fire commissioners;
after this serious error of judgement by him, it is he that should be fired;
as for trichet, he'll do whatever is necessary to keep interest rates at a level that is acceptable to germany and france and we can go fu@k ourselves.

We may have a new website, but obviously the standard of idiocy among some posters is the same.

If the European members of G8 get together it is standard for the President of the Commission and the ECB to turn up. If the EU Mediterranean states have a meeting, as they do, both also turn up. If the Baltic EU states have a meeting, as they do, they both turn up. If any group of EU states assemble for a meeting, it is normal for the Commission president to be there.

You are seriously clueless.

[Papinian]

Myles: If, as you claim in your post above, Barrosso (EU Commission president) and Trichet (ECB head) attend meetings of groups of subsets of EU member states that do not include the "big 4", please provide links to news reports or other evidence. Otherwise, I'm not going to take what you say very seriously.

[toxic avenger]

We may have a new website, but obviously the standard of idiocy among some posters is the same.

If the European members of G8 get together it is standard for the President of the Commission and the ECB to turn up. If the EU Mediterranean states have a meeting, as they do, both also turn up. If the Baltic EU states have a meeting, as they do, they both turn up. If any group of EU states assemble for a meeting, it is normal for the Commission president to be there.

You are seriously clueless.

I was wondering where NDS had gone, I wonder no more...

[Myles_per_hour]

Myles: If, as you claim, Barrosso (EU Commission president) and Trichet (ECB head) attend meetings of groups of subsets of EU member states that do not include the "big 4", as you claim in your post, please provide links to news reports or other evidence. Otherwise, I'm not going to take what you say very seriously.

Do a google search. It has been standard since 1989 for commission presidents to attend international meetings of groups of EU and EC states. It is to ensure that there are not backdoor plots being hatched by meetings. The Commission president is there to report back to the commission on such meetings. If possible the President of the Council will also be there to report back to member states. If economic issues are being discussed the head of Ecofin, or the ECB, or both, will also be in attendance.

[Papinian]

Myles: It's not up to me to do a google search. When I made my original post I provided links to the evidence for everything I reported. Now it's up to you to do the same or admit that you're just making stuff up.