Economics Report.Leaders of the European Union saythey will help Greeceas it strugglesunder a mountain of debt.They promise to take action,if needed,"to safeguard financial stabilityin the euro area as a whole."But the leaders did not announceany detailed plan for Greeceafter meeting Thursday in Brussels.They said that wasbecause Greece has notrequested any financial support.European Commission PresidentJose Manuel Barroso saidthis means the governmentbelieves it does notneed the support.Investors had a mixed reactionto the statements from Brussels.Worries over Greek debthave pushed the euroto its lowest value in monthsagainst the dollar.European Union finance ministersare expected to talkabout Greece when they meetin the Belgian capital next week.Sixteen of the twenty-seven nationsin the European Unionuse the euro as their currency.Now, the stronger membersare seeking ways to helpthe weaker ones like Greece.European Union rules limit the choices for a rescue.The European Central Bankand national central banksare barred from aiding membersby purchasing their debt.European officials hope to avoidthe crisis that could spreadif Greece fails to pay its debts.Greece needs to borrow more thanseventy billion dollars this yearto finance its budgetand refinance its debts.In October, Greece saidits budget deficit would reachalmost thirteen percent ofits gross domestic product last year.G.D.P. is the widest measureof economic activity.Greece represents less thanthree percentof the euro area economy.But its deficit is aroundfour times the level permittedby the euro group.Greece has promisedto cut public spendingin an effort to reduce its deficitby four percentage points this year.And Greece is not the onlycountry in trouble.High levels of public debtin Ireland, Portugal and Spainare also worrying debt markets.Nations in the euro areashare a common currency,but not a common financial policy.This leads to big differencesin economic results.Some members have very lowlevels of public debt.Others have very high levels.Greece's debt could reachone hundred twenty percentof its G.D.P. this year.Last week, the European Commissionapproved a Greek planto cut government spending.On Wednesday, thousands of publicemployees in Greece held a striketo protest cost-cutting measures.And that's the VOA Special EnglishEconomics Report.