Merkel Urges Giving More Power To European Union

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a press conference after a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels in late May.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for European Union members to give more powers to a centralized EU authority "step by step," saying a more effective "political union" is needed to deal with the challenges faced by the bloc.

Merkel, speaking on German television on June 7, said the EU needs “not just a currency union -- we also need a so-called fiscal union, more common budget policies. And we need above all a political union."

British Prime Minister David Cameron, due to meet with Merkel one day later, on June 6 called on the EU to come up with an "immediate plan" to resolve the eurozone debt crisis.

Economic power Britain is an EU member but does not use the euro.

An EU summit on the eurozone crisis is scheduled for June 28-29.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP