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V4 points out major challenges EU faces

Xinhua, March 3, 2017 Adjust font size:

Prime ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4) released a joint statement pointing out major challenges ahead for the European Union (EU), following a meeting of V4 leaders here on Thursday to discuss the EU's current affairs and future.

In a joint statement, the V4 wrote that the major tasks ahead were preserving unity within the EU, developing the single market, stabilizing the eurozone, maintaining the Schengen zone and control over EU's external borders, increasing democratic control and ensuring the EU continues to play a global role.

Commenting on the joint statement, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said the proposal included possible solutions to the problems the EU was facing. EU unity was crucial and any model of future cooperation had to guarantee the integrity and consistency of the Schengen, the single market and the EU itself, she said.

"EU unity is essential and should always be our starting point," the leaders wrote.

"Regardless of the pace of the integration process, we must all strive in one direction, with a common goal [...] Any form of enhanced cooperation should [...] be open to each member state in order to absolutely avoid any kind of disintegration of the single market, the Schengen Area and the European Union itself. We need to protect its greatest achievements."

Regarding the single market, the leaders agreed that: "The single market is a project of fundamental importance for all European economies, the well-being of their citizens, as well as social, territorial and economic cohesion of the EU," suggesting steps the bloc could take to remove the remaining obstacles, face new obstacles, and resist protectionism.

Furthermore, the V4 leaders underlined the importance of the EU budget continuing to serve long-term investment, as well as the importance of research and development, infrastructure and education.

Security issues were also mentioned: "Citizens feel safe only when they are convinced that they live in a place where full control of external borders is ensured [...] Over the last few months we have made significant progress in the protection of the external borders of the EU."

The group also insisted the EU's defense capacities should be developed and called for relations between institutions and member states to respect "the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality."

The statement is the V4's contribution to the Rome Declaration, which will be made during the EU summit in Rome on March 25. Enditem