There are fears the European Union is facing paralysis until Britain decides to move.
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Mr Juncker defended the free movement of European Union citizens – seen as a key factor in the vote to leave – as he denounced the killing of Arkadiusz Jozwik in Harlow last month. And he insisted that if the EU stuck together well during the split-up “there will be no room for doubt that it is a good thing to be a member of the union”.
Mr Juncker warned Britain: “There can be no a la carte access to the single market”.
With Europe increasingly divided by issues ranging from the migration crisis to terrorism, Juncker’s speech focused on security and the economy to find ways that European Union nations can work together. The U.K. will not participate in the summit, which was called to debate the future of the region after the Brexit referendum. He said the EU’s actions should take place in a spirit of solidarity with the USA -led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence alliance.
Set up last year to run for three years until 2018 with a target of mobilising 315 billion euros (S$483 billion) of investment, Mr Juncker will confirm the aim of doubling the amount and extending EFSI for three further years.
He also called on the Government to trigger Article 50 – the formal process for leaving the European Union – as soon as possible.
He announced an ambitious investment plan for African countries to stem the migration crisis, too.
Juncker won polite applause for his speech from MEPs, but was savaged by Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party which led the push for Brexit.
The proposals, echoing a plan put forward this week by France and Germany, are part of a broader attempt to rally European Union nations after Britain’s vote to leave the bloc and to capitalise on its departure – London having opposed the idea. Washington is keen to see Europe do more in its own neighbourhood and US presidential candidate Donald Trump has questioned whether North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should support allies not seen to be spending enough on defence. As Europe’s biggest-spending European power, the British exit could reduce the EU’s military capacity by a quarter without steps to remedy the situation, analysts say.
EU leaders are trying to steady the ship after Britain’s shock June 23 vote to become the first country to leave the union, already buffeted by a flawless storm of globalisation, terrorism and the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
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“This should be complementary with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – more European defence does not mean less transatlantic solidarity”, he said.
