Brussels, 04/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 4 December, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and several members of his government met the European Commission to present the priorities of the Greek Presidency of the EU, which will be in place from 1 January until 30 June of next year. The prime minister described this Presidency as “a Presidency of opportunities, not a Presidency of crisis”. “It will be a crucial time for Greece and the EU; we must respond to the concerns of the citizens, give clear responses to legitimate questions about the prospects and viability of our Union”, Samaras explained. “We want a more solid Europe which is more respectful of its citizens, progressively attaining high living standards through growth”, he added.
The Presidency wants to “promote the obvious: employment and cohesion”. “Job creation is a priority for us all”, Samaras explained. José Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, said that the fight against youth unemployment and improving access to funding for businesses are priorities. “One of the keys to success is to make sure that the member states are working better together to implement stimulating growth reforms in the framework of the European semester”, he explained, calling on the member states to make the best possible use of the new multi-annual financial framework of the EU from January onwards. He described this as a “thousand billion euro investment fund”.
Greece also wishes to develop the Union, particularly monetary union. “The shortcomings which have already been identified must be tackled, particularly banking union”, Samaras argued. “We must adopt the single resolution mechanism before the European elections and ensure that the single surveillance mechanism is up and running next year”, added Barroso, who also hopes that economic and monetary union will have a strong social dimension.
The Greek Presidency also wishes to focus on migration, “particularly illegal migration”, said the prime minister, highlighting border management and security. Lastly, Greece will place emphasis on maritime policy, particularly the growth, security and energy potentials related to this issue. Samaras added that on migration and maritime issues, Greece is already working closely with Italy, which will take over the Presidency from it in the second half of 2014.
The Greek Presidency will also make a contribution to proposals to stimulate trade and the single market, and to discussions on a future energy framework and climate change between now and 2030, Barroso announced.
“This is an ambitious but realistic agenda”, Samaras explained, in other words with “tangible results, citizens closer to our joint European project and a Presidency which inspires the citizens”.
Barroso said that the Presidency comes at a “critical time for Europe”, as “we are working to finalise legal texts ahead of the European elections of May”. It will be an “excellent opportunity to show that Greece is not only capable of resolving its own problems with European solidarity, but that it is also capable of making a major contribution to the European project”, the European Commission president added. “With the lessons learned from this crisis, Greece can also lead the EU, lending its particular sensitivity to many problems, from the Balkans to maritime policy, with which Greece is far more familiar than most of our member states”, he explained. (CG/transl.fl)