European leaders have rejected calls to put more cash into their economies to combat the global recession. The officials were speaking in Brussels ahead of a two-day EU summit.

The EU hopes to fine-tune its position at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday ahead of the critical G20 meeting in two weeks.

The US has called for Europe to top up stimulus packages that have so far failed to reverse the economic downturn.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso addresses a news conference during a two-day EU leaders summit in Brussels March 19, 2009.[Francois Lenoir/CCTV/REUTERS]

But the 27-nation bloc said it wants to see the effects of outlays agreed to last December, before it commits to any more spending.

Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, said, O"What our citizens need now is not words, they need action. I've said it earlier. Not gesticulation, implementation. We need implementation of the fiscal stimulus which now looks set to approach 4 percent of GDP of Europe."

The European Commissioner for Industry maintained the EU line, saying there was no evidence that more money would solve the problem.

Gunter, Verheugen, European Commissioner for Industry, said, "We are not sure whether it would help just to inject more money in the real economy. In particular as long as we cannot be sure that the financial crisis is solved and that the banking sector will function properly."

The EU is still struggling to agree the details of existing plans to revive the economy through infrastructure projects.

Continental European capitals are putting their faith in generous welfare states to ride out the worst of the storm.

(CCTV March 20, 2009)