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13 February 2014

President Barroso and Prime Minister Rutte discuss EU priorities


The two leaders discussed the division of competences between the EU and its Member States, and how EU leaders should engage with citizens ahead of the upcoming EP elections.

Economy

"I commended Prime Minister Rutte and his coalition for the central part they played in steering the Dutch economy through the worst of this crisis", President Barroso said, following his meeting with Prime Minister Rutte. "A very open and dynamic economy at the heart of the EU and its internal market such as the Netherlands is in a good position to benefit from the pick-up that is now underway", he added.

The two leaders agreed that the best way to strengthen the recovery is to keep up the reform momentum. "To boost growth and bring down high unemployment, Mark Rutte and I agreed that we must keep doing everything we can to maintain sound public finances and make our economies fitter – that is, reforms for increased competitiveness", President Barroso said, congratulating Mr Rutte for the important reforms already agreed in The Netherlands.

Elections

President Barroso said that the priority at EU level was to agree on a Single Resolution Mechanism for banks before the European Parliament elections in May. "The Netherlands has consistently supported deeper integration in the euro area, and the Banking Union in particular, for which I am very grateful", he said.

With the upcoming elections in mind, President Barroso urged national politicians to "leave their comfort zones" and be honest with citizens about the benefits of the EU. "I think we must explain to citizens why Member States have entrusted Europe with certain tasks and competences, and how we are working together to make the European Union more efficient – which is, of course, in all of our interests", President Barroso said. "We have to be honest, we cannot now undo the European project", he added. "What we have to do is to review the legislation in a way that makes it lighter, cheaper and, of course, more business- and citizen-friendly", he said, adding that this would be a "joint effort" between the EU and Member States. "Making our Union better is not something that only happens in Brussels."

President Barroso said that there was "a lot still to achieve" before the elections, and thanked Prime Minister Rutte for his "excellent cooperation and his commitment to ensuring the Netherlands continues to play its rightful role at the heart of Europe".

Video

President Barroso's statement



© European Commission


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