Brussels, 26/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Dutch government is fighting for an “improvement” in its position as a net contributor during future negotiations on the 2014-2020 EU budget framework. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, following a meeting with the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, on 25 January in Brussels. He also appealed for a budget and European policies that were more targeted to economic growth and innovation, as well as a new “services directive”, which would help to create a genuine internal services market. On all of these subjects, Rutte will be able to count on the support of British Prime Minister David Cameron, whom he met on Monday in London.
Budget. During a joint press conference with Barroso, Rutte explained that contributions from member states to the European budget “should be fully based on Gross National Income”, namely, on the basis of the country's wealth. The head of the Dutch government said that this method is “simple, transparent and fair”. The Netherlands is currently one of the biggest net per capita contributors, pointed out Rutte. In the next discussions for the multiannual budgetary framework, the objective of the government will therefore be to “improve the Netherlands' position”. The prime minister also called for a retargeting of European spending on “growth, employment and prosperity” and on all the areas where the EU can provide genuine “added value”. Questioned by the press about possible concerns created by the Dutch position, the president of the Commission was eager to play for time. He first of all thanked the Netherlands for everything the country had done and would continue to do to promote European integration. Nonetheless, he added that it would be both mistaken and dangerous to equate a country belonging to EU with the contribution it made to Community coffers. Barroso said that “the EU is not just about giving, it's also about receiving” and that in this connection the Netherlands had also benefited greatly from the EU and its internal market. The Commission president said that it was quite normal that every government attempted to obtain as much as it could during budget discussions but that it was important that this debate be carried out in a “positive” spirit and that the European budget be presented as an instrument for creating and financing “added value” in relation to national action and policies.
New services directive. Rutte also appealed for the European services directive to be revitalised. He said: “I think that services should be part of the EU's internal economic market”. He underlined the “enormous potential” of this sector for relaunching the economy and helping to increase EU competitiveness. The Dutch prime minister (Liberal) said that the “lighter” services directive adopted in 2006, following very lengthy and difficult discussions, is not sufficient and should therefore be replaced by the so-called “Bolkestein” directive, initially proposed by the former Dutch commissioner for the internal market, Frits Bolkestein. In an interview with the British newspaper the Guardian on 25 January, Rutte suggested that he would be in favour of “enhanced cooperation” between countries that wanted to adopt the new strengthened “services directive” to “form a mini-single market for all the professional services”. On Tuesday in Brussels, the prime minister said that he hoped that the 27 member states would be able to reach an agreement on the directive review but did not rule out the use of enhanced cooperation. On Thursday 27 January, the European Commission is expected to adopt a report on the implementation of the 2006 directive, as well as the follow-up to this text.
Immigration, Greece. Rutte also requested clarification as soon as possible on the consequences of the recent European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling on sending back asylum seekers to Greece (EUROPE 10299 and EUROPE 10300). He told the press that “this ruling shows that the EU needs a common European asylum system”. He also appealed for “pressure” to be exerted on Greece, so that it takes measures necessary for improving the humanitarian situation of refugees. (H.B./transl.fl)