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Bettel: The EU can be a driving force // Future of Europe Speech, May 2018

783 views · Published 4 September 2018 · 28:11 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Euractiv · 2018 · News & Politics

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Xavier Bettel, Prime-Minister of Luxembourg, presents his vision for the Future of Europe in front of the European Parliament, on 30 May 2018. He starts by stressing that the European political architecture must take the diversity of its heritage seriously, while promoting a “more united” Europe that is able to protect its citizens and chart their future. In this respect, the opposition by some EU Member States to carry their share of the burden in a spirit of solidarity. Bettel considers that European values constitute the fundamental consensus between Member States and, therefore, he regrets the opposition by some EU Member States to carry their share of the burden in a spirit of solidarity in the migration crisis. He states that populist forces “invoke sovereignty alone to ensure the salvation of Europe,” whereas “it is precisely the EU, which protects our sovereignty more than ever in a globalised world.” Concerning economic matters, he supports a fair taxation of the profits of Internet companies that aims at preserving and enhancing EU’s global competitiveness. Bettel admits his opposition to pooling debts or bad loans, but warns against excessive inequalities between individual partners in the single market, which do not promote the “necessary economic stability in Europe.” In this respect, he reminds MEPs of the fact that Europe is no limited to its single market: “we must work in favour of a European social model, which promotes a higher social convergence among Member States.” He also aims at setting up a space for European innovation.

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