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Latvian PM outlines priorities during EU presidency

Xinhua, January 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Security, jobs and the digital single market will be major themes of the Latvian presidency of the European Union (EU) for the coming six months, Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said on Wednesday.

Straujuma discussed her country's priorities during a debate in the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg. This is the first time the Baltic state has taken over the presidency of the European Council, which represents the heads of EU member states.

Some MEPs welcomed plans to focus on passenger name record legislation to improve security, while others stressed the importance of investment.

Referring to last week's terrorist attacks in France, Straujuma highlighted the need to strengthen security in Europe, while still safeguarding fundamental values: "Our objective is to defend European values, a space of freedom, security, justice and mutual tolerance, characterising Europe in the world."

Chief among the priorities for the Latvian presidency is the digital single market. "We want to fully tap into Europe's digital potential and work on the creation of a genuine single market in this area," she said. "On-line consumers need to have equal access to goods and services at an affordable price regardless of whether they live in Brussels or Bratislava, in Riga or in Rome."

The EU will also need to enhance digital security, she added, which will help create jobs and growth, and so turn Europe into a leading knowledge economy.

During a debate after Straujuma's speech, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said: "The Latvian presidency is the symbol of reconciliation in the history of the EU. Thirty years ago no one could have imagined this."

He said the Commission supported the presidency's goals of creating jobs, boosting growth, relaunching investment, deepening the economic and monetary union and completing the digital single market.

Manfred Weber, the German chair of the EPP group, pointed out that although Latvia experienced tough economic times in 2009, it now enjoyed economic growth and a drop in unemployment. "Latvia is a glimmer of hope in the EU," he said. Enditem