Brussels, 05/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 5 January, the president of the European Commission declared: “More economic governance is not an ideological dream but a pragmatic need”.
During a press conference on major economic and energy issues facing the European Union this year José Manuel Durão Barroso referred to the legislative package on the table, which aims to enhance the Stability and Growth Pact. This will be negotiated during the first semester by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU (EUROPE 10225). The Commission president said that he hoped that the “EU semester may start off a new cycle” in this domain. The European semester will help member states to make an annual presentation to the other countries at a European level of their main national budget project guidelines, before their respective national parliaments adopt the budget definitively.
Questioned about Portugal and Spain's capacities to refinance their debts on the market at a reasonable cost in 2011, Barroso would only point out that Europe had the necessary “instruments” to help a eurozone country experiencing difficulty. He added that if it is necessary, “we have the instruments to act and if needed, we will adopt instruments to ensure stability. I am confident of strong determination within the euro area”.
The European Union is currently examining the possibility of setting up a European stability mechanism for eurozone countries, which will replace the provisional instruments set up in 2010 to help Greece and Ireland.
Next week the Commission will unveil its annual growth forecasts. This document will focus on three key areas: budgetary consolidation, structural reforms, and measures for stimulating economic growth.
Barroso wants greater energy efficiency efforts made - Commission proposals on energy and innovation are part of the measures for simulating growth. The European Commission discussed these two subjects on Wednesday and they will be on the agenda of the next European Council. Barroso explained that energy policy was the next major European integration project. He also said that he hoped that the European Council would give a boost to the Commission proposals. The president of the Commission exclaimed: “We need to accelerate the pace of implementation of the internal market. I would like the European Council to agree on the key missing infrastructure links and on how to remove all barriers to a truly European energy market. Let me tell you very frankly that I am unhappy with the progress made on energy efficiency”. He pointed out that they had made a lot of progress on renewables (see other articles on the target, which has just been increased by the EU to 20% of renewables by 2020) and said that he wanted to see the European Council agree in concrete on reaching the 20% target by 2020.
In the external policy arena, Barroso will make a visit next week to Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, together with Commissioner Oettinger (Energy) to promote the “Southern Corridor Initiative” and the Nabucco pipeline. He said: “I believe that security and diversification of our energy supplies are one of Europe's strategic priorities”. He also wants concrete commitments from Baku and Ashkhabad. In a reply to a question, Barroso said after the Ankara agreement, he thought prospects had improved and that the Nabucco project would be a success.
In an effort to make progress in the field of innovation, Barroso said that the European Council should endorse “our Strategic Approach to Innovation”. The president of the European Commission concluded: “We believe the time has come for governments to set aside dedicated budgets from existing money for public procurement of innovative products and services”. (M.B./L.C./transl.fl)