The European Union must explain the economic and political benefits of the bloc after France and the Netherlands voted against the EU Constitution, Europe's Monetary Affairs Commissioner was quoted as saying on Saturday. "The Commission should make all efforts to explain better what is the added value of European action, what the advantages are of measures taken on a great scale," Joaquin Almunia said in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
France and the Netherlands voted against the new EU constitution earlier this week triggering concerns about the future of Europe's political, economic and monetary union - even though the treaty is not linked to the euro.
Almunia reiterated that the French and Dutch votes would not put an end to the common European currency, after Italian Welfare Minister Roberto Maroni said on Friday Italy should consider returning to its old lira currency.