Barroso: 'Europe will emerge stronger after crisis'

The European Commission has said it will allow some EU member states to slow their pace of austerity cuts, amid concerns over growth.

France, Spain, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands and Slovenia are all being given more time to complete their austerity plans.

Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said: "The (eurozone) crisis has left us with a strong conviction that we need to reform - and reform now".

"The benefit of taking action now is that Europe will emerge stronger from this crisis", he added.