EU's Juncker wants European investment plan to be "game changer"

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday said he hoped the 315-billion-euro(359.56 billion U.S. dollars) European investment plan could become a "game changer" to boost jobs and economic growth in Europe.

"I want the investment plan to be a game changer, because that is what Europe needs. Not just more investment...but a different way of doing things," Juncker told the EPSC High-Level Conference "Europe as an Investment Destination" in Brussels.

"Our investment plan is a vital part of our strategy for jobs and growth, a virtuous triangle that brings together structural reforms to modernize our economies, fiscal responsibility, which is and remains of the essence to restore public finances, and investments," he said.

Run for nine months, the plan has triggered around 76 billion euros of new investment in Europe, attracted 22 member states' participation and helped 125,000 small and medium enterprises gain better access to finance, according to the Commission.

Juncker said European investment has often been dominated by a small number of large, expensive projects but the plan started to see more local projects which were smaller and more diverse.

He again vowed involvement from global investors. "We know that there are good projects waiting for finance. We know that there is finance waiting for good projects."

"Let us send a message to investors across the globe: we are ready, they are welcome," he said.

China has declared to build synergies between its Belt and Road Initiative and the European investment plan in June last year. Endit