"Europe faces its worst financial crisis since the foundation of the euro.In his speech today and in his actions tomorrow, President Barroso has no excuse not to act", says Andrew Duff, President of the Union of European Federalists.
"The new Commission has to be bold, original and coherent in initiating law and policy that sets the basis for Europe's economic recovery", adds Duff, who also co-chairs the Federalist Intergroup in the European Parliament.
"The eurozone faces a structural crisis that can only be resolved by much closer fiscal coordination to back up the common monetary policy. Mr Barroso would be wise to set up an enquiry into the long-term impact of the crisis on the Union's arrangements for economic and monetary union. Where the current set up is not adequate it must be modified.
"Federalists will back the Barroso II Commission if it is innovative in drawing the right conclusions from the present economic collapse and financial instability.
The federalist programme includes:
- a radical reform of the EU budget and the introduction of a new
system of own resources,
- the full deployment of the new powers and competences of the
eurogroup;
- an integrated regulatory system to supervise the financial
sector,
- the real completion of the single market,
Andrew Duff concludes his statement:
"Thanks to the Treaty of Lisbon, Mr Barroso is the most powerful Commission President there has ever been. If he uses his powers to further the unification of Europe to the benefit of its citizens and states, he may certainly count on the political support of the federalist movement."
ENDS
Editors' Note
Mr Duff is co-chair of the Federalist Intergroup in the European Parliament and President of the Union of European Federalists. He was a member of the Convention on the Future of Europe and was one of three representatives of the Parliament at the Intergovernmental Conference, which drafted the Lisbon treaty.
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