Germany wants EU court to hammer states on budgets

Germany wants the European Court of Justice to hammer states that break public finance obligations to EU partners under renegotiated treaties, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Saturday. "We urgently need changes to the treaty so we can have a real stability union," Westerwelle said as he arrived for talks in Brussels between EU foreign ministers, focused on preparations for back-to-back summits on the debt crisis Sunday and Wednesday.
"Changes to the treaty are needed to give the stability pact some authority to make sure there are sanctions against those who do not act in solidarity and solidity," he said, saying the pact lacked "bite."