He said it should start with the creation of an European Union military headquarters and work toward a common military force.
Advertisement
STRASBOURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) – EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker warned divided Europeans on Wednesday that their Union was in an “existential crisis” after Britain’s vote to quit and said leaders must pull together to stop it unravelling.
The EU leader stressed that the bloc’s actions should take place in concert with the USA -led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defense alliance, to which 22 EU member states also belong.
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Juncker was expected to announce a major extension to the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), as well as a new fund to foster the private sector in Africa as way of curbing emigration to Europe, along with initiatives to promote the expansion of high-speed Internet and a single market in digital services, EU officials said.
Juncker said greater defense cooperation also makes economic sense for the bloc’s member states, since it would reduce wasteful duplication of effort by individual nations, and he called for a specific defense fund before the end of the year to boost common research projects.
He insisted that the bloc was not at risk and urged Brexit negotiations to take place as quickly as possible. He said some early reality checks will come at the September 26-27 meeting of European Union defense ministers, and a summit of bloc leaders scheduled for December.
Juncker also hit back at rising nationalism and racism, referring to the recent killing of a Polish man in Britain with the words: “We Europeans can never accept Polish workers being harassed, beaten up or even murdered on the streets of Harlow”.
Le Pen, president of the National Front, claimed Brexit had “broken a taboo”, and said French voters should have the option to make a similar choice.
There are fears the European Union is facing paralysis until Britain decides to move.
Juncker called for setting up an European Union military headquarters to coordinate efforts toward creating a common military force with assets “in some cases owned by the European Union”.
Juncker highlighted the reunification of Cyprus as one area where “Europe is a driving force”.
The initial aim of the Investment Plan for Europe, which was first announced last year, was to mobilize 315 billion euros over three years.
It finances projects deemed too risky by the EU’s European Investment Bank and is created to overcome a massive shortfall in investment since the 2008 world financial crisis.
An agreement is also needed with member states on which European Union budget resources will be used for the expanded EFSI.
That limits appetite for big ideas from the Commission, however much Juncker sees his role as delivering proposals that governments can unite around.
Advertisement
He said the investment drive has already raised 116 billion euros and provided loans for 200,000 small firms and startups.
