Alternate Foreign Minister G. Katrougalos participated in the informal meeting of the EU General Affairs Council, in Valletta, during which there was a discussion on the programme of Malta's Presidency of the Council of the EU and on the future of Europe.
In his intervention, Mr. Katrougalos welcomed the goals set for the first half of the year by Malta, a neighbouring country with which we share common priorities, particularly in the sectors of migration, the Single Market, shipping and the EU's relations with third countries in the region.
Furthermore, he underscored that Europe is facing an existential moment, needing to face its responsibilities for mistaken policies that have led to the present ongoing crisis. The Alternate Foreign Minister highlighted that reactionary and anti-European forces are growing in strength precisely because the European structure could not address the economic crisis, the fear and the sense of insecurity of citizens regarding the future. In fact, to date, we are seeing the implementation of austerity policies that are degrading the social state, shrinking the middle class and increasing inequalities. To overcome this situation, a balance needs to be achieved in order to address the chronic asymmetry between the social and economic dimensions of European integration, through immediate measures that will enhance the social and democratic nature of the Union's economic governance.
Mr. Katrougalos welcomed the holding of the Social Summit in Sweden this coming November, while he stressed that there is a need to strengthen the unifying nature and accountability of the economic tools of economic governance. In this direction, there needs to be a strengthening of the role of the European Parliament and of the National Parliaments during the “European Semester”, while regulations should be promoted for enhancing the social agenda, with the acceptance of proposals from the European syndicates, including the establishment of a minimum wage commensurate with the average wage of each country, a European system of insurance against unemployment, the drawing up of a new social rights protocol, reform of the Stability Agreement based on substantial development indicators, etc. Regarding the EU budget, there should be new planning with broader elements of redistribution that will address the increasing divergences between central and peripheral states.
Finally, the Alternate Foreign Minister referred to the refugee problem as an issue of immediate priority, the handling of which requires that the decisions already taken be implemented, and that the binding rules of solidarity be in ongoing effect. The European states need to implement the decisions of the Council on relocation and the provisions of the EU-Turkey agreement, and shape a common European Asylum System that does not unduly burden countries of first reception. The dialogue on the Future of Europe will continue at the Valletta Summit Meeting on 3 February and will culminate in the Rome Summit Meeting on 25 March, the anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Rome.
January 25, 2017