Presentation of the European Agenda under the Slovak EU Presidency in the second half of 2016
The European Agenda under the Slovak EU Presidency in the second half of 2016 was presented at the Bavarian Representation in Brussels on 29 June 2016. The event was organised by Hanns Seidel Foundation and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.
Among the priorities highlighted were good preparation for the summit of leaders of 27 EU MSs in Bratislava, which was to address economy, increase of investment and spending, linkage of capital markets and funding of real economies. During the presidency, there will be work on the completion of the banking and energy union, on the Digital Single Market, so that the EU could catch up with the most developed world markets, on the protection and modernisation of external border system. The solving of asylum issues is expected, in addition to the suggestions for norming the material in a package and revision of existing solutions from Dublin, with the aim of making a better distinction between the economic asylum seekers and the real ones. H.E. Mr Peter Javorčik, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU, added that the enlargement process needs to receive more attention, so that a positive momentum could be created in the candidate countries to achieve the desired result.
The speakers at the event were Barbara Schretter, Director of the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union; Ursula Männle, President of Hanns Seidel Foundation; Mikuláš Dzurinda, President of Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and former Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic (1998-2006); H.E. Mr Peter Javorčik, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU; Jerzy Buzek, MEP, Chair, EP Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; President of the European Parliament (2009-2012), Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (1997-2001); Eduard Kukan, MEP, Chair, EP Delegation EU-Serbia, Ambassador, Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs (1994, 1998); Ivan Štefanec, MEP, Member, EP Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. The moderator at the debate was Ambassador Karel Kovanda, former Deputy Director General, DG Relex, European Commission.
The majority of the esteemed guests who spoke at the event agreed that everyone is aware of the great problems the EU faced, but expected that Europe will be stronger at the end. In their view, the decision on Brexit was irrational and rash, but solutions to a number of crisis on the continent could be obtained only by means of joint policies on the EU level. The new situation is an opportunity for fundamental changes that Europe needs, in addition to a new vision and structural reforms of the economies of EU MSs, social security and security system. The growing problem of populist politicians, which is becoming more visible in Europe, can be solved only by means of a concrete solution to the problem.
