There have been ongoing rumours of plans to create an EU Army for a couple of years, which critics say would amount to a unsafe increase in the level of control that Brussels would hold over its member states.
Advertisement
Washington is keen to see Europe do more in its own neighbourhood and USA presidential candidate Donald Trump has questioned whether North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should support allies not seen to be spending enough on defence.
Estimates from the organisation suggest this could boost GDP across the European Union by an extra €910 billion, as well as create 1.3 million new jobs by 2025.
“New online services such as music streaming, video-on-demand platforms and news aggregators have become very popular, while consumers increasingly expect to access cultural content on the move and across borders”, the European Union said.
“It’s about the governments showing a commitment to Europe”, Hardy said in a Bloomberg Television interview. Plus, despite all the current uncertainty around the subject, we should assume that the Brexit process will be underway by 2020.
The fund focuses mostly on infrastructure, energy, research and education.
The program has generated 116 billion euros in investments across Europe to date and the goal is to reach 500 billion euros by 2020 and 630 billion euros by 2022, Juncker said. “And we have to invest in that connectivity now”.
An Africa fund was part of Juncker’s efforts to stress a more positive agenda, particularly over the migration crisis that has deeply divided the European Union. He said it should start with the creation of an European Union military headquarters and work toward a common military force.
Furthermore, Juncker pledged to propose a “European Solidarity Corps” in which young people could volunteer their help in crises such as earthquakes, floods and refugee inflows.
In setting out the commission’s plans for the first time since the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union on June 23, Juncker highlighted the British referendum as a warning that the European Union faced a battle for survival against nationalism in Europe.
Advertisement
The spokesman added: “Clearly, the country voted for Brexit for a number of reasons”. In Europe, given its great richness of talent, European institutions bear the responsibility in protecting its creative community and securing a better future for new generations of creators’.
