Juncker: EU Biggest Challenges Need To Be Tackled

Populism, unemployment and social injustice are among the key challenges for the EU, said Commission President Juncker in his annual State of the Union speech in the EP on September 14. The refugee crisis, Brexit and counter-terrorism were also debated with political groups’ leaders and other MEPs, who put forward their visions of how to address people’s deepest concerns about the future.

EP President Martin Schulz, before giving the floor to Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said that the State of the Union speech is a very important moment in Parliament’s work, especially in times where we might be witnessing a fundamental change and just two days before the Bratislava summit.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker started his speech by naming the biggest challenges EU is facing now:  fragmentation, populism, unemployment and social injustice. “Populism does not solve problems, but creates them”, he stressed.

Turning to Brexit, he said “We respect and regret the UK decision, but EU as such is not at risk. “ We would be happy for the request for Brexit to take effect as soon as possible.” He also noted that the new relations with UK will not include “à la carte” access to the single market.

Juncker also touched on other challenges that Europe needs to tackle: swiftly ratifying the climate change agreement, further free trade agreements with third countries such as CETA, data protection, fighting tax evasion, building capital union, access to high speed internet and more job-creating investment. He also announced that the amount of European strategic investment fund would be doubled.

On the refugee crisis he said: “we have started to see solidarity but much more is needed.” He proposed creating an EU solidarity corps and a new investment plan for Africa. On counter-terrorism, he stressed the need to step up information exchange among national police authorities and proposed, inter alia, strengthening Europol. And he announced a proposal for a European Defence Fund.

  

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