EU needs to work together to save the euro, says Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed French President Nicolas Sarkozy in calling for the European Union to work together to save the euro single currency. 

Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier

Speaking in Marseille at a meeting of the European People's Party, she explained that, since the creation of the European Union, the number of people in the region had grown to seven per cent of the total world population and Europe needed to speak with a stronger voice.

“We need more Europe over the next few years,” she emphasized.

Merkel gave her support to the single currency saying it had made the EU stronger, but the region could not afford to sit back and there needed to be the creation of common economic policies.

“We can overcome the problems and we will work together to keep a strong currency,” she said, “It’s going to take years of hard work, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Merkel also appealed to those countries not in the eurozone to send out a signal that all countries could work together.

“It’s not a question of taking care of national interests,” she said. “We need to come together and bring about constitutional changes especially regarding the European Commission.”

European leaders are gathering in Brussels for the opening of crucial talks on the euro aimed at saving the currency union from collapse.