The future of EU consists of "offering response to challenges and uncertainties" it faces, states Mariano Rajoy

Palace of Versailles, France

Mariano Rajoy explained that the fundamental goal of this four-way summit was to contribute ideas with a view to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which will take place on 25 March in the Italian capital.

"We have many pending challenges ahead of us. There are many uncertainties and the key is to provide a response to these challenges and uncertainties", he said in a press briefing together with the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, and the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Paolo Gentiloni, before holding a working dinner with them.

The President of the Government argued that the people of Europe need to send out three messages at the Rome Summit: that the European Union is a success story, that the priority must be to attend to the problems of its citizens with greater intensity and more effectively, and that the future of the EU involves more and better integration.

The President of the Government recalled that Europe suffered from two world wars in the 60 years prior to the Treaty of Rome, while since then it has enjoyed the longest period of peace and prosperity in its history. The EU, he added, is the region of the world with the most democracy, the greatest respect for human rights and highest levels of well-being, it is the leading global economy, the largest trading power and has cultural and tourist sectors of the first order. That is why, he declared, "we must defend this, we must be united and we must do battle", against those who only highlight "the mistakes - as with any human work - that have been made".

For a more effective EU

Pool Moncloa/Diego CrespoMariano Rajoy highlighted four areas in which the EU must be more effective in dealing with citizen concerns, as was made clear at the Informal Bratislava Summit: immigration policies, "acting at source" and paying attention to border control; internal security and the fight against terrorism; external security and strengthening the Common Security and Defence Policy, and the economy.

On the matter of the economy, he expressed that "the target is that which people seek and require: economic growth, employment and, consequently, to maintain and improve the cornerstones of the Welfare State: pensions, healthcare and education".

He also pointed to the need to extend the internal market further, promote a common trade policy, fight youth unemployment and extend the Juncker Plan, "which has worked very well, at least in my country".

Towards Economic and Monetary Union

The meeting was also used to tackle the White Paper on the future of the EU which was recently presented by the European Commission. Mariano Rajoy described it as "a useful contribution so that, between us all, we can take decisions", and stated that he was in favour of the "option that commits to more and better integration", since "whenever Europe looks further afield, is when it has enjoyed the best periods in its history".

Pool Moncloa/Diego CrespoIn this regard, Mariano Rajoy stressed that "Spain is prepared to go further in terms of integration with all those who wish to continue this integration process".

As well as working more closely in relation to foreign policy, immigration and security, the President of the Government advocated extending the Economic and Monetary Union in the medium term. In his opinion, it is essential to complete the Banking Union, better coordinate national economic policies to increase competitiveness and move forward with the internal market.

"And when this is achieved, I believe that we need to talk about Fiscal Union and, above all, about the existence of a European Budget", he concluded.