Versailles summit: 'Multi-speed Europe is key' to EU's future post-Brexit, say leaders
Wednesday, March 8, 2017 @ 11:34 AM
A MINI-SUMMIT on the future of the European 'club' in Versailles tackled immediately-pressing issues such as Brexit, the famous 'ever-closer union', and the widely-acknowledged notion of a 'two-speed EU' yesterday (Monday).
Spanish president Mariano Rajoy (PP) flew to France to meet with its president, François Hollande, plus German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian prime minister Paolo Gentolini.
Rajoy stressed he wanted Spain to get back to its one-time central role in the EU's functioning, since the general consensus is that the country has dropped into the background since its early days of fighting talk, ambitious and creative ideas and hands-on problem-solving during socialist president Felipe González's reign between 1982 and 1996.
“I believe now is the time for Europe to look long-term because, in the past, when it has done so, it has achieved some of the greatest milestones in its history,” Rajoy said.
Hollande was concerned about the remaining EU-27 forming a united front, especially in light of the UK's planned departure in early 2019, saying: “If divisions creep in, there's no capacity for influence. Unity does not mean uniformity – which is why I would advocate new forms of cooperation that differ between member States so that some countries can move forward more quickly than others.”
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com