EU heads of state and government have pledged to help Greece tackle its debt crisis, if needed. At a meeting on 11 February in Brussels, convened by President Van Rompuy, they issued a statement stressing both responsibility by the Greek Government and EU solidarity.

The Greek government is determined to improve the country's public finances and aims to reduce the budgetary deficit by 4% in 2010. It has not requested any financial support.

In their statement, the leaders expressed a strong political commitment to take determined and coordinated action if necessary. "This agreement is the expression of a clear political will, and it is a political message that we wanted to send out today," said Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, at the press conference.

The Heads invited the Ecofin Council to adopt recommendations to Greece at its meeting on 16 February. The meeting also discussed a new EU strategy for jobs and growth. "The European Council wants to take the lead in the economic strategy," declared Herman Van Rompuy. The strategy would have a limited number of common and quantified EU objectives.