EUParliament: Juncker Team ready on Big Deal in Economy/Political issues for Sustainable Investment

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- A vibrant Call for "a Big Deal", (compared to the Historic "New Deal" which had succeeded to overcome the most important Global Crisis of 1929), was launched Today by the incoming, New EU Commission's President, experienced long-time former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and Chairman of "€uroZone"s "EuroGroup"), Jean-Claude Juncker, a Christiandemocrat/social EPP politician who Won the 1st place at the recent, May 2014 EU-wide Elections, speaking at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, just before MEPs' give a quite Strong Backing to all his Collective, 28-Member new EU Commission for the Next 5 Years period of 2014 - 2019, with a "reliable Majority" (as noted afterwards EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz himself), of 423 positive Votes, against only 209, and 67 Abstentions, despite a "different" composition  now, where "EuroSceptics" of the Left and/or of the Right, have notoriously taken a large part.

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- "It's Time that we had a real Big Deal", with "a Broad Coalition of (EU) Countries, and the main Political Parties, to work Together on a 3-Pilar Structure", able to join both necessary "Structural Reforms and Fiscal Credibility", as well as "Investment", Juncker declared, promissing also to "treat (EU) Member States equally", and "to be Tough, when we (EU Commission) need to be tough", as he added on this occasion.

 - He apparently reminded the Historic 1st €uroZone Summit of Heads of State/Government, (with a partial participation even of the UK), back on 10 October 2008, when, shortly after the USA-born Global Crisis had just emerged throughout the World, the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, together with German Chancellor Angie Merkel, as well as Juncker himself, as €uroGroup's President, had succeeded to decide a ground-breaking, voluntaristic joint EU Plan for simultaneous National Actions to Boost Investments for Growth, by acting all together, in parallel, with concrete Measures through Coordinated National channels acting jointly. Something which can't, obviously, be simply repeated Today, particularly not among Debt-ridden EU Countries striving to complete putting their Finances back in order. Moreover, it's not really needed something Identical, since, after the success of that 2008-initiated more, now EU Economies are no more in Recession, but just at zero or slow Growth.

 - However, "after its latest Peak in 2007", "the Level of Investment in the EU Dropped by just Under € 500 Billion or - 20%",  so that "We (EU) are facing an Investment Gap'",  that "we (EU) have to Bridge", critically observed Juncker Today.

 - "EU can Help make it happen", he stressed, pointing at "an Ambitious € 300 Billion Investment Package, for Jobs, Growth and Competitiveness", that he had already highlighted. Naturally, "there is No Magic Bullet, or Grwowth Button to push in Brussels", so that, at any case, "Structural Reforms, Fiscal Credibility, and Investment, at National and EU-level, have to go Hand by Hand", he warned MEPs.

    But, speaking later to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora", Juncker, at the same time clearly confirmed his intention to present an "Investment Package befor Christmas", but also kept entirely Tight-lipped about what might be its concrete content. He simply revealed that he had "thought a lot" about that, but expressed the wish to be able to also start "Discussing" his main Idea at EU level, apparently both with all the New EU Commissioners, as well as EU Countries' Heads of State/Government, (starting, most probably, from the forthcoming EPP and EU Summits, later this week in Brussels), before going public. Earlier Today, he promissed MEPs that the New EU Commission will Start "Working on that, Day and Night, from the first Day" that the New Team will convene together, (i.e., practically, in 2 Weeks' time).

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A concrete attempt to think further in this direction was Highlighted, later Today, by EU Parliament's Rapporteur on the European Semester (i.e. a collective Check up and Coordination of EU's 28 Member States' draft Budgets and Economic policies for the comming Year), Liberal/Conservative MEP Philippe de Backer, from the new Governing Majority Coalition in Belgium, (and former suppleant of EU Commissioner  Karel De Gucht), in reply to a relevant "EuroFora" Question, about events which seem to have hindered "EU's real potential" (See also Infra, about the Ukraine crisis) :

 

 
 - Even if; back on 1970ies, some had claimed that "Zero Growth" might make the World a Better place, nevertheless, we had Zero Growth, for several quarters, but the World is Not getting a Better Place"..

 => In consequence, yes, "We (EU) have to do everything in order to ensure that we can create Sustainable Growth. Because in the Past, there was a lot of Artificial Growth, created based basically on Debt. But this isn't, of course, Sustainable", he reminded.
=> Therefore, "what we (EU) have to find, is New Ways, f.ex. by activating  Savings' accounts, Pensions' accounts, Insurance Companies, etc., to Start Investing again".

"It has to do, partly, with Trust". "But there is a lot of Industry, a lot of Capable People, a lot of Enterpreneership, here in the EU, so, the Projects are there. It's Now Time to convince also the Investors, to make sure they step back in".  So, creating this <<Investor Interesting Climate>> is going to be important", he pointed out.

+ "Second, the Growth will have to come from a Mix, of Public and Private Investments. Some (EU) Counties have some (Public) Budgetary Space to Invest. They Can do it, and Should do it, also in their own Interest", but, at the same time, a Large part of the Investment will have to come from the Private sector".

>>> Indeed, "there is a lot of Cash, Today, standing on the side, and the Question will be how we (EU) can Activate that. Because, if we are able to activate that, i.e. to Guide it towards the Real Economy, then, there will be New Projects, New Investments, New Compagnies, New Jobs that there will be created, and, ultimately, we'll see Growth returning again".

Similar observations, particularly on substantial Private Savings despite State's Debts, had been made previously not only on France, (f.ex. by former President Sarkozy, when he decided a "Grand Emprunt" for RST), as well as in Italy, but even in Greece a.o. Countries.

In this regard, "at EU - level, we can  do several things :

 
- First of all, we have to remove some of the Barriers of the Internal (EU) Market, f.ex., and Complete the Internal Market for Goods and Services. F.ex. make sure that we create a Capital Market, and that "Energy Union" that Juncker is talking about, to be sure that we (EU)  have reasonable Energy Prices, so that Compagnies can be also more Competitive at a Global Market", as De Becker observed, (curiously forgetting, however, to remind also the need to "Unlock the great Potential of our -EU's- huge Digital Single Market", that the incoming new EU Commission's President also stressed, earlier Today, as part of his planned "1st Legislative Initiatives").

- "So, all these elements have to put into place during the next 5 Years (2014-2019), and, If we do that", we "can be very Optimistic about Europe, that we'll reconnect also with Growth". "But, as Juncker said, this is going to be the (EU) Commission of the Last Chance : Or we do it, in the Next 5 Years, or we face the issues : If in 5 Years time, we (EU) have the same Growth Numbers as Today, and we have the same Unemployment as Today, then we shall have a Fundamental Problem, not in the least because we would have failed, as Policy Makers, to deliver to our Citizens", EU Parliament's Rapporteur warned.

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+ Need to solve  the Ukranian issue Quickly
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    + On this occasion, it's also the current "Ukraine" issue which should be settled, acknowledged De Becker, (as "EuroFora" had reminded, citting recent Economic Figures, as well as OECD's Head, Angel Guria"s statement on the Negative Economic Impact to Europe by the Division provokd via the latest Ukranian Crisis, as he told us recently at the CoE : See ......). "Ukraine, indeed, affects also our (EU's) relations with Russia. So, its up to us (MEPs) to make it sure that EU Commission and EU Leaders try to Normalize the situation as Quickly as possible", he advised.

    - Certainly, "not at any condition", particularly when "certain things happen for which EU Parliament has said that it's going way too far". So, this will have an impact, because we (EU) have always to make sure that we don't forget about this GeoPolitical issue. But, at the same time, we (EU) have to make sure that we put Our House in Order". In consequence, "it's EU Parliament's job to ensure that, the Strategy that we (MEPs) develop here, does take into account this GeoPolitical situation, but also that, in the End, we can deliver for our Citizens", De Becker proposed in conclusion.

- Juncker himsel didn't hide the fact that various "Huge Challenges await us (EU)". "Citizens are losing faith, Extremists, on the Left and Right are nipping at our heels", while "our Competitors are taking liberties", he warned. "But it's up to us to Shape those Challenges".

- In fact, "It's Time we Breathed a New Lease of Oxygen to bring more Life into the European project" stressed the only EU Leader who has ever Won an Euro-Referendum, (as Juncker has already done, even at a "Hard" moment, both as National Prime Minister and rotating EU President, already as early as back on 2005 : Comp. Statements that he had given then to "EuroFora"s co-Founder at Luxembourg). In particular, we must "ensure that the.. European Social Model is clearly Visible in Everything we do. Because Europe is our Protective Shield", and "this magnificent Continent our Home", as he concluded in his Speech to MEPs, inviting them "to set Europe in Motion anew".

- Indeed, the New EU Commission's President stressed from the outset, speaking to EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, just before MEPs' Vote on the Collective of 28 New Commissioners, that, all together, should "now" "work Differently" : "Not as a simple Sum of Parts", but "as a Team", i.e. "as a Collectif,  Body", "a Political (EU) Commission at the service of the Common Good and of European Citizens" : "The Time for Action is Now", as EU's "Problems cannnot be pushed under the carpet", as he said.

  - One among many and various possible concrete Examples, was given when, during his subsequent Press Conference, a collegue from Italy questioned Juncker "about the Drama of Refugees, jumping over the fences", as he said., "Don't you think that this is an Urgent Problem to settle, not only for the Individual Countries, but also for (all) the EU ? What will be done in order to treat Simple People in Dignity ?", (considering, moreover, that those affected are not only those Immigrants, but even the People obliged to live in some areas submerged by such Massive arrivals - often former immigrant Families themselves..).

 - "It's right to say that the (EU) Countries directly affected, are not the only ones to have a Responsibility, and we (EU) must have a Solidarity, let's say between North and South, in order to try to solve this Problem", started to reply Juncker. In this regard, "I've appointed an (EU) Comissioner on Immigration", "Legal and ilegal", (Greece's former Minister Avramopoulos, to whom Juncker has just pointed out Today, in his Speech at EU Parliament, that he also decided to give the portofolio of EU "Citizenship"). Even if these (EU) policies have yet to be concretely developed, nevertheless, "it's obvious that Europe should deal with such Problems  - including in Budgetary terms-  more in (concrete) detail", as he stressed.

  +  "We (EU) shouldn't think only in terms of absolute figures", added also later-on Juncker, reacting after some observations by Schulz, one of which included a plaidoyerie in favour of supposed Turkey's "efforts" around Syria, (rather strange, particularly coming at a moment when Ankara is notoriously accused to have facilitated brutal Extremist Islamist Terrorist BeHeaders of "ISIS" through its borders towards Syria and Iraq, while, on the contrary, it persists to impose a scandalously quasi-Total Blockade around the Syrian Kurdish City of Kobane, which is desperately resisting to ISIS continuous Attacks with Sophisticated Weapons such as "Humvee Tanks", "Avraam Tanks", launch-Missiles' systems, etc, obviously threatening to result in a Massacre even worse than what has recently happened around Mosoul, etc)...

 - "Several countries (as f.ex. Turkey, to which EU Parliament's President Schultz had just refered, in this regard), pretend that they are more concerned, by citting Absolute Figures".

>>> That's not a just debate. Because, in fact, "you should examine the Number of Refugees.Asylum Seekers in relation to the Total Population of a country", he clearly indicated.

=> Then, You will easily realize that, in fact, some "Bigs", aren't, in fact, the Biggest" in this regard. "As well as that the "Small" ones, are often "Bigger" than the Big"..., Juncker concluded.

In addition to Malta, Cyprus and other such exposed EU Countries, it's obviously in particular Debt-ridden and hard-struggling to survive and revive its Economy on Healthy basis, Greece that Juncker should have in mind by that observation, given the disproportionaly Huge Mass of illegal and other Immigration, often from totaly unrelated, remote Asian or African Countries, who notoriously arrive to EU's External Borders in Greece by crossing through Turkey, (f.ex. numerous Pakistani, etc), which even refuses to ac(coplish its Duty for "ReAdmission", only blackmailing the EU by asking to give, in exchange, to .. all (70 Millions !) Turks a legal Access throughout the entire EU without any Visa from 2017... An explosive "Mix" made out of Identity issues, Poor Neighborhoods changed into Gettos,  Insecurity/Aggressions, Human Rights' problems, dramatic insufficiency of Material means to treat People fairly, Excessive Reactions from either side, exploitation by various Traffic Networks, and/or Politicians, etc., had been notoriously provoked until recently, with more serious consequences in fact, than one would say at first sight.

So that, since it's obviously true that, as President Schulz pointed out : - "Most immigrants want to go just in 3 Countries", among EU's 28 Member  States, using Mediterranean Countries as steping stones, even ECHR was obliged to react during recent years, by exceptionaly anouncing that it would systematically Refuse to accept any Expulsion of an ilegal Immigrant from a Central/Northern European Country if he/she was due to be sent back to Greece, where it had become practically impossible to treat such persons in a fair manner, given also the huge disproportion between available means and the quasi-Systematic Massive Influx perpetuated mainly through Turkey, (which, by the way, did notoriously more to provoke various more or less "Racist" reactions among some People, than any eventual ideology or attempt to exploit the situation by any politicians, as even the recent examples of some Big, Central/Northern EU Countries recently attest)...

- "We (EU) cannot and won't sweep mounting Problems under the carpet", "nor turn a Blind eye" : "Time for European Action is Now !", stressed from the outset President Juncker at his Speech at EU Parliament, right after observing the fact that "From Ukraine to Syria, Middle East and North Africa, our (EU's) Neighbourhood remains Shaky and Unstable", due to various recently provoked Crisis, included even "Cross-Border Health Threats, as Ebola epidemic, (which) has seized (EU) Citizens with an understandable degree of Fear", as he noted. So that "Scores of Immigrants arriving at EU's External Borders, in search of a Better Future, remind us of the Need to reconcile the Quest of Solidarity with the demand for Safe Borders", as he said earlier.

While also clearly Refusing to "Suspend Shengen" system of intra-EU free movement of EU Citizens, as he added afterwards during his subsequent Press Conference, because this is "a Basic Principle of the EU" Integration, "since the very Beginning", that Europeans "are not prepared to abandon", also "because if one Destroys a basic Freedom" for EU Citizens, "then, also Other fundamental Liberties willk follow" as targets, Junker warned, obviously prefering to focus on the main origin of real problems : that of the obvious need to strenghten EU's External Borders, (Comp. Supra).