Most members of the European Unionhave agreed to a deal to increase central controlover the budgets of individual governments.The plan to increase economic tieswas announced Friday at a meeting of European leadersin the Belgian capital, Brussels.European Central Bank chief Mario Draghipraised the agreement.MARIO DRAGHI: "It's a very good outcomefor the euro area, very good.It's quite close to a good fiscal compact,and certainly it's going to be a basisfor a much more disciplined economic policyfor euro-area members, and certainlyit's going to be helpful in the present situation."All seventeen countries that share the euro currencyagreed to the deal.All together, twenty-three of the twenty-sevenEuropean Union nations agreed to it.EU president Herman van Rumpoy saidthree more members are considering it.That would leave Britain as the only country against the plan.HERMAN VON RUMPOY: "Our preferencewent to a full-fledged treaty change with the twenty-seven,changing the treaties of the European Union.We tried it, but because there was not a unanimous decision,we have to take another decision."The plan is an effort to solve the debt problemsthat have threatened the euroand driven Europe into an economic crisis.Britain is the strongest of the ten non-euro countries.Prime Minister David Camerondefended his decision to reject the deal.DAVID CAMERON: " I'm glad we're not in the euro.And so I think the idea of Europe being more of a network– where you choose the organizations you join,you choose those organizations you don't join-- is actually a way that Britain can getwhat we want and what we need in Europe."Stock prices and the value of the euro rose Fridayafter the agreement.But economists were divided in their opinions aboutwhether the plan would do enoughto end the current problems and prevent future ones.Greece, Portugal and Ireland have receivedinternational financial helpover their high levels of government debt.Some experts worry that Spain and Italycould have even greater needs.Some economists think the euro areahas already entered a recession.Germany and France are the two strongest economiesin the euro area and led the callsfor more central budget supervision.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said more unitywill make the euro more secure by punishing countriesthat do not control their budget deficits.EU members that follow the new treatymust keep their deficits below one-halfof one percent of their economic output.European leaders said they expect to sign the treaty by March.But an agreement among politicians is one thing.Passing a new treaty into law is another.Some countries will decidethat parliamentary approval is enough.Others, however, may put the treaty to a popular vote.The leaders also agreed on other measures.These include giving the International Monetary Fundmore money to try to stop the eurozone crisis from spreading.IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde saidthe leaders meeting in Brusselstook a step in the right direction.CHRISTINE LAGARDE: "Number one,they want to really consolidate their fiscal union.Number two, they've decidedto accelerate the European stability mechanism.And number three, they've decidedto add to the resources of the International Monetary Fundby an amount of two hundred seventy billion dollars,that is to be confirmed within ten days.So, that's, that's a really good step in the right direction."But Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centerfor European Reform, in London,says the new treaty does nothing to solve Europe's debt crisis.SIMON TILFORD: "The problem is that fiscal austeritywill not solve this crisis -- at least not alone.Fiscal austerity has in many ways become part of the crisis.Enforcing unending austerity on countriesin the periphery has already made their predicamentsmuch worse and threatens to make a bad situation in Spainand Italy even worse than it currently is."Mr. Tilford says whether Britainwill be weaker for staying out of the dealdepends on what happens to the euro area.SIMON TILFORD: "If the eurozone does master this crisisand holds together, and we see increased integrationbetween the participating countries within the eurozone,then Britain will become progressively marginalized within the EU."And if the eurozone breaks apart?Then that, he says, is another story.And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.