EU Commission urges joint action on short-selling

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Commission wants European governments to jointly act against short-selling of shares and investments.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier says he understands Germany's move to suspend so-called naked short-selling of eurozone government debt and shares of major financial companies.

"These measures will be even more efficient if they are coordinated at European level," he said in a statement Wednesday.

"Financial markets are currently uncertain and volatile," he added.

He urged finance ministers of the 16 euro nations to discuss the issue at a special meeting Friday.