Mr Katainen said in his speech: "We have a lot to defend and we should do this with pride". He also spoke out against the rise of extremism in Europe, stating: "We should not let nationalistic and populist voices dominate the European debate".
Mr Katainen said too many Europeans - especially young people - are unemployed today and said he could understand how they felt as Finland had its own financial crisis in 1990 when he was still a student.
Talking about integration, the Finnish prime minister told MEPs: "We must respect our common European values and rules we have adopted together. We need to strike the right balance between solidarity and responsibility." He added: "If we all play by the new rules, our economies will get stronger. This is not just economic theory, it is plain common sense."
EPP group leader Joseph Daul, from France welcomed Mr Katainen's statements on heading towards a more integrated and fairer Europe. S&D leader Hannes Swoboda, from Austria, stressed that fair integration also means cooperation between the north and the south of Europe.
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In his speech, President Barroso started by thanking the Finnish Prime Minister Katainen for his personal contribution to the European project and Finland for supporting a European Union, which is first and foremost a community of values. "No matter their size, economic weight, history or culture, our Union is a Union of Member States, joined together by common values and shared interests. It is a Union which shows equal respect for the rights and hears the voice of each and every Member State", said the President.
He added: "On issues from Enlargement to the Single Market or the digital agenda, from the Union's international trade relations to justice and home affairs, Finland is a leading light in moving and shaping European policy".
The current economic situation places a burden on European societies. In this context, President Barroso reiterated the Commission's proposals to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance, underlining the aspect of fairness. "Europe is losing tax revenues every year which amount to one full Multi-Annual Financial Framework. This is money we can ill afford to lose and which increases the burden on the average honest taxpayer", the President said.
He called on Member States to agree quickly on the Commission's proposals on savings tax and for a strong mandate to negotiate agreements with Switzerland and other neighbours, as well as for a rapid reaction mechanism to tackle VAT fraud.
Speech by President Barroso © European Commission
See also S&D/Swoboda: "We must stop undemocratic Troikas destroying Europe's future" © S&D Group
© European Parliament
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