国际英语新闻:First day of EU summit focus on European economy, growth

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) leaders discussed the European economy and growth on Thursday as they gathered here for a two-day summit amid utmost attention on EU-Turkey migration deal.

The EU leaders endorsed the policy priority areas of the Annual Growth Survey, including re-launching investment, pursuing structural reforms to modernize economies, and conducting responsible fiscal policies.

Such policies would contribute to placing the current recovery on a more sustainable basis and to fostering growth and employment, according to the leaders.

Moreover, in the light of the difficult situation of the European steel sector as well as in a context of overcapacity at the global level, the European Council called on the Council of the EU to rapidly examine the Commission's communication with a view to taking strong action in response to this challenge.

Concerning the situation of farmers, notably in the dairy and pig sectors, who are seriously affected by the drop in prices, the European Council asked the Commission to quickly act upon the outcome of the latest Agriculture Council meeting.

The EU leaders agreed that they would discuss the progress achieved in the work towards completing the Economic and Monetary Union at its June meeting.

They would also adopt an agenda for the implementation of all aspects of the Single Market, including delivery of the Commission's Single Market, Digital Single Market and Capital Markets Union strategies by then, with a view to exploiting its untapped growth and productivity potential.