(Susceptible de modifications en cours de semaine)

Déplacements et visites

 

Lundi 10 juillet 2017

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Joaquín Almunia, former Vice-President of the European Commission and former Minister of Employment of Spain.

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews.

Ms Federica Mogherini delivers a keynote speech at the Civil Society Forum Neighbourhood South, in Brussels.

Mr Andrus Ansip receives Mr Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat; and Mr Jean-François Bureau, Director of Institutional and International Affairs of Eutelsat.

Mr Maroš Šefčovič receives Mr Roberto Vavassori, President and Secretary General of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA).

Mr Maroš Šefčovič and Ms Corina Creţu deliver keynote speeches at the Cohesion Conference 2017″Towards a progressive strategy for cohesion policy post-2020″ organised by the Party of European Socialists (PES), in Brussels.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis receives Mr Bruno Le Maire, Minister for the Economy and Finance of France.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Steven Maijoor, Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Andrea Enria, First Chairperson of the European Banking Authority (EBA).

Mr Günther H. Oettinger in Berlin, Germany: presents the European Solidarity Corps at an event organised by JUGEND für Europa.

Mr Johannes Hahn in Chișinău, Moldova: on official visit.

Mr Neven Mimica participates in the event “Assises of decentralised cooperation – Regions and Cities for Development”, organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), in Brussels.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives Mr Amos Hochstein, Senior advisor and Vice-President at Tellurian Inc.

Mr Karmenu Vella receives Ms Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis receivesMr Michael Warhurst, Executive Director of CHEM Trust.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis receives Mr Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta; Mr Mark Ball, Head of EU Public Affairs of Syngenta; Mr Liam Condon, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division; and Mr Volker Koch-Achelpöhler, Head of EU Liaison Office of Bayer AG.

Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos in Munich, Germany (until 11/07): meets Mr Joachim Herrmann, State Minister for the Interior; for Building and Transport of Bavaria; and participates in the dinner reception of the Munich Aviation Security Conference.

Ms Marianne Thyssen receives Ms Gabriele Bischoff, President of the Workers’ Group and rapporteur of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on the European Pillar of Social Rights.

M. Pierre Moscovici reçoit M. Paschal Donohoe, Ministre des Finances, des Dépenses publiques et des Réformes d’Irlande.

M. Pierre Moscovici reçoit M. Hans Jörg Schelling, Ministre des Finances d’Autriche.

Ms Violeta Bulc in Ljubljana, Slovenia: presents “Europe on the Move” package to the Slovenian National Assembly.

Mr Tibor Navracsics in Ispra, Italy: meets Mr Roberto Maroni, President of the Region of Lombardy; visits the Joint Research Centre (JRC) site in Ispra to inaugurate the European Commission Atmospheric Observatory; the European Interoperability Centre for Electric Vehicles and Smart Grids; and the Advanced Safeguards Measurement, Monitoring and Modelling Laboratory.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Jaume Collboni, Second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Ms Rovana Plumb, Minister-delegate for European Funds of Romania.

Mr Carlos Moedas in Lisbon, Portugal: meets Mr Rocha de Matos, President of Fundação AIP; and Mr António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal.

Mr Julian King in London, the United Kingdom (until 11/07): participates in the UK Finance Policymaker Roundtable Dinner organised by the British Bankers’ Association (BBA).

 

Mardi 11 juillet 2017

President Jean-Claude Juncker and Mr Frans Timmermans receive Mr Mihai Tudose, Prime Minister of Romania.

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Jorge Carlos Fonseca, President of Cabo Verde.

President Jean-Claude Juncker receives Mr Rudy Demotte, Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

Ms Federica Mogherini in Mauerbach, Austria: attends the OSCE Informal Ministerial Meeting.

Ms Federica Mogherini receives Mr Sergei Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Mr Andrus Ansip meets Mr Jiro Akama, State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan; delivers a keynote speech in the digital economy session of theannual EU-Japan Business Round Table; meets Mr Hiroshige Seko, Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan; and Mr Kentaro Sonoura, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Brussels.

Mr Jyrki Katainen delivers a keynote speech at the annual EU-Japan Business Round Table, in Brussels.

Mr Jyrki Katainen delivers a keynote speech on investments at a conference hosted by the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, in Brussels.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr János Lázár, Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office of Hungary.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Hiroshige Seko, Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

Mr Jyrki Katainen delivers a keynote speech at the event “Modern Farming in Europe: Unlocking the Potential of Farming 4.0“, organised by Politico, in Brussels.

Mr Günther H. Oettinger receives separately Mr Hans Jörg Schelling, Minister for Finance of Austria; Mr Vladislav Goranov, Minister for Finance of Bulgaria; Mr Märt Kivine, Special Representative in charge of the negotiations for EU budget 2018.

Mr Günther H. Oettinger participates in the EPP Expert Group meeting on the Multiannual Financial Framework post-2020, in Brussels.

Mr Günther H. Oettinger delivers a speech on “Female Managers in the European Commission” at an event organised by Women Political Leaders, in Brussels.

Ms Cecilia Malmström participates in the annual EU-Japan Business Round Table, in Brussels.

Ms Cecilia Malmström meets Ms Urve Palo, Minister for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology of Estonia, in Brussels.

Ms Cecilia Malmström receives Ms Corinne Vargha, Director of the International Labour Standards Department at the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Mr Neven Mimica in Geneva, Switzerland: attends the plenary session of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Aid for Trade Global Review 2017; and meets Mr Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives Mr János Lázár, Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office of Hungary.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives Mr Hiroshige Seko, Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan; and signs Memorandum of Cooperation between EU and Japan on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the European Congress of Psychology.

Mr Dimitris Avramopoulos in Munich, Germany: delivers the keynote speech at the Munich Aviation Security Conference.

M. Pierre Moscovici rencontre M. Vladislav Goranov, Ministre des Finances de la Bulgarie, à Bruxelles.

M. Pierre Moscovici reçoit des élus du Conseil régional de la région de Bretagne, France.

M. Pierre Moscovici participe au séminaire sur l’avenir de la Social-démocratie en Europe au Parlement européen, à Bruxelles.

Mr Christos Stylianides receives Mr Ayman Al Safadi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Mr Phil Hogan in Ankara, Turkey: meets Mr Nihat Zeybekçi, Minister for the Economy of Turkey; Mr Faruk Çelik, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Turkey; and participates in an award ceremony for the addition of a Turkish food product to the list of Protected Designation of Origins (PDO).

Ms Violeta Bulc in Italy (until 12/07): participates in a cross-border Citizens’ Dialogue in Gorizia.

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Mr Andrea Enria, First Chairperson of the European Banking Authority (EBA).

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Mr Hiroshige Seko, Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Ms Alenka Smerkolj, Minister without portfolio responsible for Development, Strategic Projects and Cohesion of Slovenia.

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Mihai Tudose, Prime Minister of Romania; and Ms Sevil Shhaideh, Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds of Romania.

Mr Carlos Moedas meets Mr Marcello Scalisi, Director at the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), in Brussels.

Mr Carlos Moedas receives Mr Charles Wessner, Professor at Georgetown University.

Mr Carlos Moedas delivers a speech at the closing session of the event “Foresight: driving EU towards a knowledge-based society”, in Brussels.

 

Mercredi 12 juillet 2017

College of Commissioners

12-13/07 EU-Ukraine Summit

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Kyiv, Ukraine (until 13/07): participates in a working dinner ahead of the EU-Ukraine Summit with Mr Donald Tusk, President of the European Council; and Mr Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine.

Ms Federica Mogherini, Mr Johannes Hahn and Ms Violeta Bulc in Trieste, Italy: attend the 2017 Western Balkans Summit.

Mr Jyrki Katainen receives Mr Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Mr Jyrki Katainen in Pori, Finland (until 14/07): participates in the SuomiAreena public debate Forum.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete receives Mr Fernando López Miras, President of the Region of Murcia, Spain.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis delivers a speech at evening event of German Hospital Federation hosted by several Members of European Parliament, in Brussels.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis and Mr Tibor Navrasics receive representatives of Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nüremberg, the Sports University Kaunas and World Health Organization Copenhagen Regional Office for Europe.

Ms Marianne Thyssen and Mr Tibor Navracsics attend the official opening of the stand exhibition at the Europe Entrepreneurship Education Summit; and visit the exhibition, in Brussels.

Ms Marianne Thyssen delivers a keynote speech at the Pact for Youth Leaders Meeting, in Brussels.

M. Pierre Moscovici reçoit M. Jaume Collboni, Seconde maire-adjoint de Barcelone.

M. Pierre Moscovici reçoit M. Ewald Nowotny, Gouverneur de la Banque Centrale Autrichienne.

Mr Phil Hogan receives Mr Pierre Olivier Drège, President of the European Landowners’ Organisation (ELO).

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Mr Reiner Hoffmann, President of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB).

Mr Carlos Moedas delivers a speech at the 124th Plenary Session of the Committee of the Regions

M Julian King à Paris, France : rencontre  M. Mounir Mahjoubi, secrétaire d’Etat auprès du Premier Ministre, chargé du numérique ; rencontre  Mme Sabine Thillaye, Présidente de la Commission des affaires européennes à l’Assemblée nationale; rencontre M Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, Coordonnateur national du renseignement et de la lutte contre le terrorisme.

 

Jeudi 13 juillet 2017

EU-Ukraine Summit

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Kyiv, Ukraine: together with Ms Federica Mogherini, Mr Johannes Hahn, and Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, participates in the EU-Ukraine Summit with Mr Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and Mr Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine; and holds a joint press conference together with Mr Donald Tusk and Mr Petro Poroshenko.

President Jean-Claude Juncker in Thessaloniki, Greece: attends a ceremony in which he will be awarded an honorary doctorate by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis in Kyiv, Ukraine (until 14/07): participates in a working lunch in the sidelines of the EU-Ukraine Summit hosted by Mr Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine; meets Mr Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine; Mr Oleksandr Danyliuk, Minister for Finance of Ukraine, and heads of political factions of Verkhovna Rada.

Mr Jyrki Katainen in Pori, Finland: participates in a working breakfast with Mr Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Fortum; delivers an opening address at Finland’s centenary celebratory event “Whole Finland celebrates”; participates in debate organised by think-tank Libera on the “Future of Finland”; in debate organised by MTV on “Finland and European Defence”; and in working dinner with Mr Risto Siilasmaa, Chair of the Board of Directors of Nokia Corporation, and Ms Anne Berner, Minister for Transport and Communications of Finland.

Mr Miguel Arias Cañete in Tallinn, Estonia: meets Mr Kaspars Gerhards, Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia, meets Ms Barbara Hendricks, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany, meets Mr Chad Holliday, Chair of Shell Global.

M. Pierre Moscovici participe au débat organisé par France Stratégie “Quel avenir pour la zone euro?“, à Bruxelles.

Mr Christos Stylianides in Washington D.C., the United States (until 14/07): participates in a humanitarian event on Iraq organised by the Department of State of the USA; and delivers a speech at a high-level event on the Humanitarian situation in Mosul, Iraq.

Ms Vĕra Jourová receives Mr Steven Maijoor, Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Ms Corina Creţu receives Mr Fernando López Miras, President of the Region of Murcia, Spain; and Mr Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, Vice-President of the European Parliament.

Ms Margrethe Vestager receives Professor Ewald Nowotny, Governor of Austrian National Bank.

Mr Carlos Moedas in Lisbon, Portugal: participates to the interministerial conference “a new era of Blue enlightenment” on cooperation with Brazil and South Africa in research and innovation; meets Mr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal.

Vendredi 14 juillet 2017

Mr Jyrki Katainen Pori, Finland: participates in “Success of Finland in the international arena” debate organised by the representation of the European Commission and the information office of the European Parliament in Finland.

Mr Karmenu Vella receives Mr Leo Donovan, CEO of the recycling centre WEEE Ireland.

Mr Carlos Moedas in Lisbon, Portugal: delivers a speech at the Honorary Doctorate ceremony of Minister Pandor; closes the seminar on the White Paper in the presence of the Prime Minister for Portugal.

M Julian King à Nice, France: participe à la journée hommage du 14 juillet.

 

Samedi 15 juillet 2017

 

Dimanche 16 juillet 2017

Prévisions du mois de juillet:

12-13/07 EU-Ukraine Summit

 

Permanence DG COMM le WE du 08 au 09 juillet 2017:

Johannes BAHRKE: +32 (0)460 75 86 15

Permanence RAPID – GSM: +32 (0) 498 982 748

Service Audiovisuel, planning studio – tél. : +32 (0)2/295 21 23

In the European Union (EU), tourism is above all an internal affair. Nearly 90% of tourism nights in the EU are spent by EU residents, meaning that tourists from outside the EU account for only around 10% of the total.

Full text available on EUROSTAT website

Optimism is back in the euro area. Are we at the beginning of a “golden decade”?

It’s true that in the space of one year the situation has improved considerably. The euro area can be said to have entered a phase of economic expansion. The recovery has finally arrived. It has spread to virtually all sectors and countries. This is excellent news. But it would be unwise to let our guard down, because this recovery is of a cyclical nature and builds on significant support from monetary policy. There is still much to do to make it long-lasting. Structural growth needs to be strengthened in each country and the euro area must be made more resilient to shocks.

Emmanuel Macron’s election in France has rightly relaunched the discussions on strengthening the euro area. Which area of work must be prioritised?

The priority is reform in each country. That goes for France and Italy, among others, but also for Germany. For example, the rates of economic growth have now largely converged in the various euro area countries, but their per capita income levels still differ widely. This is a problem for the euro area. Once each of the Member States has done its share of the work, they will then be able to strengthen their joint structures. In the end, I think that this calls for stronger institutions, such as a finance ministry that is allocated a common budget, but let’s be careful not to put the cart before the horse.

How can the Germans be convinced to move towards this common budget?

There will be no single budget policy, as the Member States do not want one. Pooling the budget is simply a tool that allows joint projects to be financed. To make progress in this area, it is necessary to sweep away the preconceptions that paralyse the discussions between the Member States. In Germany, for example, people think that Berlin alone paid for the other countries during the crisis, which is not true. In France, the thinking is that Europe is dominated by Germany, which is also not the case. And in Italy, the euro is held responsible for the country’s problems, when the Italian economy’s weaknesses, such as lacklustre productivity growth, pre-date the single currency. Such biases will not go away until the economies have converged sufficiently.

Why does making the labour market more flexible appear to be the keystone of reforms to be carried out in France?

Reforming the French labour market has become extremely symbolic in Europe: it is considered everywhere as proof of France’s willingness to reform. That’s what makes it essential. The new French Government fully understands this. However, this can only be a first step. The notorious “flexicurity” includes the word “security”. Making the labour market more flexible can unleash potential, but doing so also requires safeguarding workers’ careers and reforming their training. There is also the problem of the mismatch between France’s output and foreign demand, as shown by its external deficit, which is one of the highest in the euro area. This deficit is not the result of an overly rigid labour market, but rather of a skills mismatch. Education and training must therefore be at the heart of the reforms of the French economy.

Should inspiration be taken from the Italian “Jobs Act” reform, which introduced a single labour contract?

Each country has its own unique features, but it’s true that, with the “Jobs Act”, Italy went further than France. What is more, this reform is starting to bear fruit.

Several plans are also on the table for eurobonds, these European bonds whereby the risks are more or less shared among the member countries. What is the current thinking on these?

Discussions are under way, in particular within the European Systemic Risk Board. But it is unrealistic to imagine, as is too often the case in France, that technical fixes can solve political problems. Prior to any reform of the euro area, discussions need to take place on the joint projects and their democratic basis. Public debt, whether French or European, constitutes the taxes of tomorrow and beyond. Who will vote for these taxes? The national parliaments or the European Parliament? And what will they finance? These are very political choices. With the economic upswing and the return of confidence in Europe, the time has come to embark on this joint reflection.

Doesn’t the coming increase in interest rates pose a threat to the countries with weak public finances?

The increase in long-term interest rates is the result of consolidating growth. Governments and financial players must prepare themselves for it. They are aware of that.

Do the divisions within the European Central Bank (ECB) over the withdrawal of exceptional monetary policy measures weaken its credibility?

The European treaties chose for monetary policy to be steered by a governing council precisely to allow for the expression of different viewpoints. This range of opinions is an antidote to groupthink. What’s essential is to come to a consensus at the end of the discussion, which is nearly always what happens. There is no disagreement over the current monetary policy stance.

How can one avoid the reduction of monetary support causing panic on the markets?

The choices available to the ECB are too often caricatured by its observers. Some fear that we might traumatise the financial markets if we turn the dial of monetary policy by a millimetre, while others prescribe a forced march towards normalisation. The reality is quite different. As early as last December, we scaled back our asset purchases without undermining the support given to the economy. So, I would argue that we have already adjusted our monetary policy, and this was made possible by the continued improvement in the economic situation. This adjustment has been done in a very careful way, as a number of factors continue to weigh on inflation. If needed, the Governing Council will continue to adjust its instruments both qualitatively and quantitatively. But when this is needed, it should do so carefully and flexibly, and based on what matters for us within the framework of our mandate: the inflation outlook. We must be transparent in our communications on these developments. Otherwise we run the risk of a more abrupt adjustment for the markets when the decisions are actually taken.

But inflation today is very close to the objective of 2%…

We base our decisions on facts, but make no mistake – without monetary support, inflation today would not be approaching 2%. That gives us reason to be careful. The underlying inflationary pressures are still weak. Another issue that we are monitoring closely is the impact of the ECB’s negative deposit rates on the banking sector and its capacity to support the economy. Banks’ profitability and the growth in credit show that fears over negative side-effects are not justified at present. In the light of these observations, there is no reason to change our strategy.

Some economists argue that low rates are contributing to speculative bubbles forming, in particular in the housing market. Are they wrong?

We monitor financial stability very closely. Our assessment is that there are currently no bubbles at euro area level. There’s a simple reason for this – financial asset bubbles have historically been associated with an increase in bank credit and the size of banks. Today, the flow of credit to the economy is picking up but remains moderate. What is more, the size of the banking sector is limited by regulation.

What about bubbles in unregulated financial institutions in the “shadow banking” sector?

The increase in credit in this sector is happening quickly, and we have a limited number of tools with which to constrain it. It’s an area of concern for the future.

By being so cautious, isn’t the ECB at risk of finding itself out of ammunition when the next crisis hits?

The main danger for the euro area is having to tackle the next slowdown without the necessary tools. Today, the euro area economy is exceeding its cruising speed, mainly due to the support of monetary policy. Without reforms, however, growth will peter out sooner or later. So it’s critical that the euro area prepares for future shocks by recovering fiscal room for manoeuvre. The most indebted countries, which include France and Italy, should take advantage of the current upturn to consolidate their public finances. The French Government’s commitment to bring the public deficit below the 3% threshold this year is a positive step. It prepares the country for the future and enables it to regain credibility in Europe.

Is the lure of protectionism a threat to the global economy?

At the global level, this temptation is very strong. And that’s a serious problem. The global economy needs cooperation. We were only able to overcome the 2007 crisis through a collective commitment, in particular from the G20 and the Financial Stability Board, to resist protectionism and respect common financial standards. Going back on that commitment would hurt growth and employment. In this context, Europe has a responsibility to defend the values of openness and free movement that it embodies, without being naive. For example, the free trade deals agreed with Canada, and soon to be agreed with Japan, contain guarantees that uphold the European values of respect for social standards, public services and the environment. Protectionism should not be confused with protection.

Is that enough to protect those who lose out as a result of globalisation?

The tools to deal with this issue are mainly available at national level. But Europe is probably the best-equipped region. Some years ago, Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted that Europe accounts for 7% of the world’s population and 25% of its GDP, but 50% of its social expenditure. European countries’ responsibility, first and foremost, is to ensure that their social systems are sustainable and work well by securing their funding. And this doesn’t exclude European-level mechanisms.

Is common unemployment insurance an example of this?

Personally, I‘m not sure. Harmonising workers’ rights seems to me to be a difficult goal to achieve. But tools available at European level, such as the Globalisation Adjustment Fund, could be better used. Currently, too few workers have access to it. In addition, the best way to protect workers is to provide them with training. This priority is not visible enough in European budgets.

Is Italy the sick man of the euro area?

I wouldn’t say that. I’m optimistic for the Italian economy over the short term. It is benefiting from accelerating economic growth in the euro area. Reforms such as the “Jobs Act” are bearing fruit and the banks’ non-performing loan problem is now being dealt with proactively. On the other hand, the country’s long-term growth prospects remain lower than those of the euro area as a whole, and that’s a problem. But I must highlight that it’s a problem that already existed before the euro was introduced. Today, this is making it harder to reduce the public debt, but doing so is vital for Italy’s future.

Does the Italian economy really benefit from the euro?

Yes, of course! The single currency, like banking union, is very beneficial for Italy. Today in Italy there’s a kind of mistrust of Europe, which is particularly worrying given that it is one of the EU’s founding Member States, where the Community values have always been strong. One of the major challenges in the months to come will be for Italy to reclaim the European project. It’s vital that it does so. Europe needs Italy to stand up for it. A well-functioning Franco-German alliance is also necessary, but it isn’t enough on its own. Italy is a key component of the European project. Today, we need it to act as a positive force and be supportive of the euro.

The Italian banks Veneto Banca and Banca Popolare di Vicenza were wound up using public funds. Is this a failure for banking union?

No. Quite the contrary, in fact. The ECB, in its role as banking supervisor, identified the problems ahead of time and put pressure on the banks to strengthen their capital, which they did on several occasions, and to find a buyer. Once these options were exhausted, the ECB declared that these two banks were failing or likely to fail, in order to trigger the mechanism for winding them down. The decisions regarding their liquidation and the use of public funds do not fall under our remit, but everything was done in accordance with European rules. Of course, there are lessons to be learnt, but let‘s not lose sight of the bigger picture. From now on, it will be possible to close down banks when they are no longer viable. This is a massive cultural shift in Europe – for a long time the assumption had been that all banks had to be kept afloat, including those that were no longer viable. This mindset contributed to the weakness of the European banking sector, which currently has too many institutions. It will have to consolidate.

Will the Brexit negotiations harm investment in the euro area?

Brexit is bad news for everyone, but it was the British people’s choice, and its economic impact is far less significant for us than it is for them. Political uncertainty is diminishing on the Continent, which helps boost investment, but in the United Kingdom the opposite seems to be the case. It is for the British people to choose their destiny outside of the European Union, but one thing must be clear: this cannot call into question the coherence of the European project and the integrity of its single market – a legal space in which the common rules are respected and consumers and investors are protected. The purpose of the European institutions is to protect that integrity. And that holds true if the negotiations fail, which is sadly a possibility.

With its economy battered by year after year of crisis, what could be the future drivers of growth in Greece?

That is the issue the Greek Government can now tackle. The agreement reached by the Eurogroup in June isn’t perfect, because it doesn’t provide a clear answer to the issue of Greek debt sustainability, but it will enable the economy to stabilise and investment to return. If political uncertainty and uncertainties around the implementation of the aid package disappear, I am sure that Greece will be able to benefit from a strong cyclical recovery that will ultimately enable it to consider its model for future growth. The time has finally come to ask these long-term questions.

Michel Barnier debates Brexit negotiations with European Economic and Social Committee

“Brexit means uncertainty”, said Michel Barnier at the outset of the debate with EESC members on 6 July, “uncertainty for citizens, businesses and jobs”. He stressed his task was to negotiate on the basis of what the United Kingdom put on the table, which included no free movement for EU citizens, full autonomy of laws, no role for the European Court of Justice and the autonomy to sign free trade agreements. The latter involves leaving the customs union and the single market. 

But there was also one certainty, he said, namely that the UK would become a third country, and this would entail three main consequences:

1. The basic freedoms – free movement of people, goods and capital – are indivisible;
2. There is no option for a sector by sector participation in the Single Market; and
3. The EU will keep its own independence in setting economic and social rules and standards that all 3^rd parties must respect.

The United Kingdom and the EU need to be aware that Brexit has a cost and it is the task of the negotiating team to keep this cost as low as possible. “From the EU’s side, there will be neither aggressiveness nor arrogance, said Mr Barnier, “but we need to be ready for any situation, even a no deal situation, although this would be the worst-case scenario.”

Members of the European Economic and Social Committee voiced their concerns on many aspects, including consumer rights, social rights or the trade policy. Irish and Northern Irish members raised the issue of the Good Friday Agreement, which was mainly achieved with the help of the EU.

Luca Jahier, President of the EESC’s Various Interests Group stated that “A bad deal is better than no deal, we need to achieve a deal at any cost, because nobody voted to become poorer, nor for the end of the Irish peace process.” Mr. Jahier proposed that “half of the frontier negotiations should take place at the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and that a cultural route of peace be established between the Irish border and Nicosia in Cyprus, where another wall still exists in Europe.”

Business investments are high on both sides of the Channel. Brexit could jeopardise business relations; particularly as uncertainty is a disruptive factor for businesses. Jacek Krawczyk, President of the Employers Group stressed that “The main expectation for employers is that companies have certainty on the withdrawal agreement and clarity about the future relationship. These negotiations create challenges for both sides, but the EU is no ‘restaurant à la carte’. Here we fully support the Commission: there are no low hanging fruits to grab. Transparency and integrity – this is what we appreciate.”

Gaby Bischoff, President of the Workers Group referred to the fact that 4 million workers are affected by Brexit, that is to say the equivalent of the population of two Member States – Estonia and Latvia – taken together.  She stressed that “we cannot accept that people could be used as bargaining chips. “Workers’ rights– protecting jobs, working and living conditions – must be high on the agenda. We cannot let EU workers’ rights be undermined by low pay, low regulation or tax havens.”

Mr Barnier stressed that the EU too wanted a fair and balanced deal, and that failure to reach a deal would be the worst option, as it would mean reverting to a distant past, including trading relations with the UK regulated by WTO rules, making products more expensive.

EESC members agreed with Mr Barnier that although Brexit is important and a good deal is in the interest of both the 27 and the UK, the most important thing is the future of Europe. “We have to make people aware about the countless advantages of EU membership.  Brexit has shown very clearly that many people are not aware of the fact that these advantages come from being a member of the European Union. In the UK for many people the awakening has already begun. Now it’s for the European stakeholders to make the EU27 stronger and more cohesive. The EESC is ready to be a main partner in this process”, concluded EESC President Georges Dassis.

Europe’s rural regions vary within and between Member States.  It is important to be aware of these differences and to ensure that rural programmes and measures take into account the differences at EU and Member State level. In its own-initiative opinion From Cork 2.0 declaration to concrete action, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for more targeted funding, based on the priorities of Member States, regions and citizens’ initiatives, to help rural areas develop.

Only rural proofing which is mandatory will ensure effective policies

Rural development is a horizontal issue and it is not sufficient for it to be mainly shouldered by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) only. Rural development practically affects all policy areas. The EESC therefore calls for a more cohesive policy as well as to increase the shares of the other ESI funds – in particular of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) – allocated to rural development. These are necessary steps in order to reduce existing disparities and territorial imbalances.

The EESC believes that rural proofing (a tool for identifying the impact of policy decisions on rural areas) must be mandatory. “Rural proofing which results only in reports and findings is meaningless; it must deliver a true and accurate basis for people who are taking the rural policy decisions including the distribution of funding”, said Brendan Burns, President of the EESC NAT section.

In its opinion, the EESC emphasises that simplification at all levels – EU, national, regional – is a matter of urgency. “If the EU doesn’t ease the regulatory burden, fewer and fewer farmers will be willing to safeguard and promote its unique landscape and this will be much more costly than targeted subsidies. The victims will be European citizens in both the cities and rural areas,” stressed rapporteur Sofia Björnsson.

The EESC backs the Cork 2.0 Declaration as it offers strong support for a rural policy at EU level.

Boosting innovation and digitisation helps to create jobs in rural districts

Sustainable agriculture and rural development need innovative solutions. There is high potential for climate-smart solutions and a more circular and bio-based economy. Generating solar, wind, hydro and bio-energy would not only help the climate, but would also be a sustainable income source for people in rural areas. “Implementing innovations and applying new technologies, however, often require extensive investment and high risk. To ease that risk either public funding could be used or a group of farmers could invest together”, said Ms Björnsson, who believes that innovation strategies and funding need to be based on identified needs. In the EESC’s view, the European Innovation Partnerships (e.g. the EIP-Agri) can be useful because of their bottom-up approach.

If young people are to remain in rural areas and businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive, quality broadband coverage is essential, both for safety and quality of life. “Broadband is a must for businesses and entrepreneurs, and modern farming is more and more dependent on a well-functioning internet”, said Ms Björnsson. Where market forces are not enough, EU funding should be used in order to help broadband reach remote communities.

Farmland and forests make up 85% of the EU’s land area and provide Europeans with food, animal feed, energy and fibre as well as with public assets such as rich flora and fauna. This diverse landscape can also help generate economic activities other than agriculture, particularly in the tourism and recreation industry.

Agriculture is also the main driver in the transition to sustainable food systems. Promoting local consumption not only benefits local economies and agricultural production, but shortens the supply chain and thus helps our environment.

Last, but not least, rural areas are key players in implementing the international commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate agreement (COP 21).