Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrives at EU headquarters for an EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

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EU leaders hold broad talks on growth

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Top leaders of the European Union (EU) Thursday held broad talks on growth without making concrete decisions on the first day of the two-day spring summit in Brussels, against the backdrop of easing market pressure but rising unemployment rate.

"Employment, especially youth employment, was at the heart of our discussion tonight, more than ever," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said at a press conference on Thursday night. Full story

EU leaders to seek growth-austerity balance

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Top leaders of the European Union (EU) on Thursday gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit, this time facing little market pressure over debt crisis and instead focusing on ways to boost growth.

For over three years the debt crisis has been dominating the EU agenda. But as market turbulence eases, EU leaders are now set to tackle social repercussions of the crisis in the face of the eurozone's record-high unemployment rate and economic recession.  Full story

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso arrives at EU headquarters for an EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti arrives at EU headquarters for an EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) 

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa attends the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

French President Francois Hollande (R) talks with Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of an EU summit at EU headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) talks with European Parliament President Martin Schulz ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

French President Francois Hollande (R) talks with Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

French President Francois Hollande (R) greets Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of an EU summit at EU headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

French President Francois Hollande (R) listens to European Parliament President Martin Schulz ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) talks with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (L) talks with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

Luxembourgish Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker (L) talks with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (C) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite (L) shakes hands with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (C) arrives at EU headquarters for an EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, March 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered in Brussels Thursday for a two-day spring summit in an attempt to strike a difficult balance between growth and austerity as the sovereign debt crisis across Europe is finally easing. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) 

(130314) -- BRUSSELS, Mar. 14, 2013 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande attends a press briefing after first day of EU summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Mar. 14, 2013. European Union (EU) leaders gathered for two-day summit in Brussels to iron out measures to promote growth and create jobs in Europe which is still mired in the debt crisis. (Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)