European Commission : Statement by the EESC President Staffan Nilsson in reaction to the UK Prime Minister's speech on Europe EU: Mr Cameron, take it or leave it!

CES/13/5

23 January 2013

Statement by the EESC President Staffan Nilsson in reaction to the UK Prime Minister's speech on Europe
EU: Mr Cameron, take it or leave it!

At a time when the European Union needs to strengthen the cooperation between its Member States more than ever before, the UK Prime Minister has today called for less cooperation. Mr Cameron's selfish strategic positioning of the UK within the EU is not in the EU's interest; nor is it in the national interest of the UK. This is akin to a tandem bicycle where one rider is moving forward while the other is going backwards. EU membership is like any other agreement: it comes with benefits and obligations. Under political pressure at home, Mr Cameron is questioning the whole EU project and wants to start a debate on the basic principles of the European Union such as solidarity and economic integration, by asking people to vote for or against the EU project as it has been developed over the last fifty-five years.

In light of the on-going crises, the cost of non-Europe(i.e. of incomplete European integration) is huge and is undermining Europeans' prosperity. We must restore trust in a dynamic growth model and in the legitimacy of its decision-making process, not by seeking points of division but by nurturing and developing further common ground. Civil society from the UK and elsewhere in the EU will not stop calling on their leaders for more Europe and to step up for a stronger, sustainable, competitive and social Europe!

For more information, please contact:

Coralia Catana

EESC President's Spokesperson

Tel.: [phone] |[phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]| [e-mail]

http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.staffan-nilsson-speeches