Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has called for a new approach to spending that boosts growth without increasing debt. He also warned that Greece can expect help from the EU, but only if it sticks to its commitments.

In a speech to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, Westerwelle on Friday unveiled a six-point plan to boost European economic growth. It includes stricter controls on spending and putting around 80 billion euros in EU funds into increasing the bloc's competitiveness. But the liberal FDP party politician said he rejected the idea of government stimulus to boost growth.

...Germany's opposition expressed skepticism, with the Social Democrats criticizing the lack of measures to tackle high youth unemployment and the Left party calling for tax increases for the wealthy.