Closing remarks by José Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, on the State of the Union 2012, during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

BARROSO, Jose Manuel (PT, EC President)

state of the Union 2012 (T)

State of the Union 2012: extracts from closing remarks by José Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC

SOUNDBITE (English), Jose Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, I want also to thank those of you that made a reference to the European program of aid for deprived persons. I like to confirm: the Commission will come forward with a proposal for a new program to help poor people in Europe, because there is now rising poverty in Europe. So, that is why we have to be absolutely sincere and frank &ndash; yes, I say the word once again about this &ndash; you cannot withdraw from the European institutions the instruments to show solidarity and afterwards criticise Europe because Europe has not enough solidarity. We need to act at European level also in the social area.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jose Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, This is critically important, not only because it is just, but because we need a social dimension at European level, so that we can keep the support for our social market economy and for our European project. And when we speak about more Europe, it's not just 'more Europe' for the sake of Europe or for the European institutions. The crisis in the Euro Area has shown that the credibility of the Euro as a single currency is also dependant on the coherence and the invigoration of the decisions taken for the Euro Area. So when people ask me about why we need more Europe: we need more Europe if we want to keep and sustain a common currency. We need more integration of the institutions but also more harmonization of the norms to avoid behaviours that are, indeed, against the common norms, and also we need more coherence of the policies. So this is at least indispensable for a common currency, and of course we want to make these proposals not just for the Euro Area, but for the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jose Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, Because we want this to be united, and we want this to be open for all. If some members do not want to join us, of course they have that right, but they should not have the right to avoid those who want to have a stronger union to build that stronger union, not only for the currency, but also for our common goals of a united Europe. Finally, Mr President and Honourable Members, let me thank you for this debate. I believe in democracy. I believe in national democracy, but also in European democracy. And I want to reiterate that today, in the 21st century, only with national democracy our citizens will not be able to control their future, and their countries will become irrelevant. We are living fundamentally new times, and that is why we need to complete our national democracies with a strong European democracy, and this Parliament is the basis for that future, stronger European democracy. I thank you for your attention.