Earlier reporting of economic policy information could have helped avoid the current row between the Government and the European Commission, EU monetary and economic affairs commissioner Mr Pedro Solbes said today.
Mr Solbes said providing earlier information would enable other member states to assess and comment on planned policies in a particular member state and give a chance for that state to take their views into account.
"But improving the system in this way could have helped avoid the recent arguments over Ireland's unilateral policies," he said.
"In the Irish case, peer pressure and pressure for consensus is something that should work," he said.
He went on to say that "there is no question" of making the proposed system legally binding or introducing sanctions against countries resisting the peer pressure, or penalising them.
The recommendation is included in proposals to ministers on how to strengthen economic policy coordination within the euro zone.
Mr Solbes also called for EMU members to provide fuller economic statistics and earlier ones.
Another recommendation is for the EU's economic and financial committee, which prepares the work of the Ecofin finance ministers council, should set up a committee to prepare the work of the euro group, he said.
AFP