Events
France
Truths about Europe
France - 24/05/2012
On 24th May 2012, the President of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, received at the European Commission's representation in France, the Finnish Foreign Minister, Alexander Stubb, who spoke on the topic "Truths about Europe".
The chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, received at the European Commission representation in France the Finnish Minister for European Affairs and External trade, Alexander Stubb, who said some "Truths about Europe".
He called, in particular, for structural reforms in face of the crisis that the European Union is currently going through. He underlined, in particular, the importance of deepening the internal market, and in particular to create the digital single market, and of opening up to external trade in order to support growth. He also pleaded for an economic model reconciling
freedom and protection, which could draw inspiration from Nordic capitalism. He recalled that, if financial solidarity was necessary, it was just as necessary to establish common rules in order to avoid too slack fiscal policies, and stated that growth could not be based exclusively on debt. Asserting that he was opposed to euro-bonds, at least on the short term, he declared, by contrast, the he could be favourable to project bonds.
Talking about the issue of European institutions, he highlighted that differentiated European integration was already a reality and mentioned the creation of "cores", the belonging to which would no longer be automatic but would depend on "merit", such as the group of countries having rating the AAA credit rating. Deeming changes of European treaties not expedient, he declared that much could be done by the means of intergovernmental treaties such as the recent fiscal pact. However, he expressed his support to the Community method. He eventually expressed his conviction that the European Union would emerge stronger from the current crisis, as it has always been the case in all the crises it has been through throughout its history.
Download the speech of Alexander Stubb
He called, in particular, for structural reforms in face of the crisis that the European Union is currently going through. He underlined, in particular, the importance of deepening the internal market, and in particular to create the digital single market, and of opening up to external trade in order to support growth. He also pleaded for an economic model reconciling
freedom and protection, which could draw inspiration from Nordic capitalism. He recalled that, if financial solidarity was necessary, it was just as necessary to establish common rules in order to avoid too slack fiscal policies, and stated that growth could not be based exclusively on debt. Asserting that he was opposed to euro-bonds, at least on the short term, he declared, by contrast, the he could be favourable to project bonds.
Talking about the issue of European institutions, he highlighted that differentiated European integration was already a reality and mentioned the creation of "cores", the belonging to which would no longer be automatic but would depend on "merit", such as the group of countries having rating the AAA credit rating. Deeming changes of European treaties not expedient, he declared that much could be done by the means of intergovernmental treaties such as the recent fiscal pact. However, he expressed his support to the Community method. He eventually expressed his conviction that the European Union would emerge stronger from the current crisis, as it has always been the case in all the crises it has been through throughout its history.
Download the speech of Alexander Stubb
