Video: https://www.youtube.com/upload
Opening Remarks:
The other topic which Heads of State or Government will need to discuss next week is migration.
Even if we made progress in the management of the migratory flows, the situation is still fragile.
We need to be all committed to implement the agreed measures and find a way forward to complete the structural reform.
The credibility of our actions inside the Union, at our borders and in our migration management is central to building mutual trust and enabling us to act collectively.
Our comprehensive European Agenda on Migration contains elements of solidarity and responsibility.
It demands that we take forward each element in parallel. The success of one reinforces the others.
In all areas we must both show solidarity and assume responsibility.
And the more effectively we work with third country partners on tackling the root causes of migration, the greater our capacity to ensure a fair and effective system of asylum and migration management here in the EU.
Ladies and gentlemen, March 2017 will be a month when many people look to Europe’s past and many people look to Europe’s future.
In the Commission, we will make sure that we also shape Europe’s present.
Closing Remarks:
Thank you Mr President.
There has been plenty of discussion this afternoon about the future and the past. The Commission must also live in the present.
Since the Bratislava Summit in September, we have been working hard to deliver on a unifying set of priority issues.
President Juncker has shown again today his commitment and the commitment of the whole Commission to delivery, by presenting his White Paper in line with a promise before this House in his State of the Union speech.
Life goes on, and our work goes on. The European Union is 60 years young.
That means that we are old enough and wise enough not to get distracted from the tasks at hand today.
And, we are also young enough, energetic enough and enthusiastic enough to make sure we deliver what we promise.
Next week’s European Council must be about delivery, delivery, delivery.
Europe needs to deliver on migration, deliver on jobs and prosperity, deliver on security, and deliver on all of its agreed priorities.
The European Commission will continue to deliver.
Thank you Mr President.