In the run up to the EU elections, former Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, gave Euronews his thoughts on the Green transition and the need to be competitive when it comes to technology.
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00:00 Thank you very much for being here Mr. Barroso.
00:03 My pleasure.
00:05 Please tell me, how do you see the Congress today?
00:08 We are talking right after the manifesto and we are looking at the European Union,
00:13 who is at the crossroad, looking to the world, looking to how it is reshaped
00:22 and looking towards these elections on the 9th of June.
00:26 How do you see it?
00:27 First of all, let me say that it is indeed a great pleasure for me to be here in the EPP Congress in Bucharest.
00:33 It was, as you said, during my mandate, my second mandate, that Romania joined the European Union
00:40 and I am so happy that that was possible and that now Romania is such an important member of the European Union.
00:49 And maybe I can start with that.
00:51 It shows how important the enlargement is.
00:55 So we have to think that the European Union will not stay with the current membership.
01:02 It will have more members.
01:04 Of course, we have the aspiration to have Ukraine, to have Moldova, but also the Western Balkans.
01:11 It is extremely important for those countries, but also for those who are already in the European Union.
01:18 We need to expand this area of stability and peace that is the European Union.
01:24 So that will be, I think, my first priority is to be attentive to the geopolitical challenges that the European Union is facing
01:35 after this war, terrible war launched by Putin's Russia against Ukraine.
01:43 So we need to be geopolitical minded.
01:46 We need to protect our Union and the countries that will join our Union.
01:52 Another priority, of course, is the economy.
01:55 If we do not succeed in the economy, then we will have more extremism in Europe.
02:00 People that will explore the resentment.
02:03 I believe there we should do more.
02:06 For instance, completing the internal market.
02:09 There is still a lot of fragmentation in the internal market.
02:12 We need to be more competitive.
02:14 There are others around the world that are doing better than us in terms of competitiveness.
02:19 For instance, in technology, with artificial intelligence.
02:23 We have to be in the front line of the progress in science and technology.
02:29 And unfortunately, I don't see Europe strong enough in these areas in terms of integrated policy.
02:36 I think these are probably the most important priorities.
02:40 The geopolitical concerns, to continue to address them.
02:44 But also the economy, from the point of view of our competitiveness.
02:49 I would add that, of course, the European Union should continue to lead on the green transition.
02:55 At the same time, it should do it with respect for the social concerns of people.
03:01 Not put too much cost on those who are more vulnerable.
03:06 If we do that, we will turn part of our population against the green agenda.
03:10 And that will be a mistake.
03:12 And also, we should pursue our commitments in terms of the green transition.
03:18 But without putting our industry and our agriculture in a situation of competitive disadvantage towards other parts of the world.
03:29 I'm looking now at this manifesto and about the project that Ursula von der Leyen is having for her new future very possible mandate.
03:41 And she's talking about a commissioner for expansion.
03:45 She's talking about a commissioner for foreign policy.
03:48 And she's talking about a commissioner for defense.
03:53 How are they and how did Europe reshape after your mandate and now in this context?
04:02 I agree that we should give more importance and if necessary, portfolios in the European Commission structure for these priorities.
04:12 I just said it.
04:15 At the same time, we already have a high representative in the commission.
04:19 High representative for foreign and security policy.
04:22 And of course, the competences of that position, it's a treaty-based competence.
04:28 It's in the treaty.
04:30 It should be respected.
04:32 But I believe it is possible respecting the treaty, for instance, if that is the intention to have someone in the commission that follows more directly the issue of military industry.
04:48 So, industry for military purposes.
04:50 We need it now in this very difficult situation.
04:54 So, yes, I support all the ideas that make it possible in full respect of the treaties for the commission to be active on everything that has to do with supporting a more geopolitical Europe, including on the fields of defense.
05:10 At the same time, we need to build a stronger European pillar on defense that, of course, respects the commitments of NATO.
05:20 NATO is there.
05:22 It would be a complete mistake to think about replacing it.
05:25 As we see now more countries are joining NATO.
05:28 That was a direct consequence of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
05:33 So, we are now having Finland and Sweden, former neutral powers, now joining NATO.
05:40 We need to have a strong NATO.
05:41 But inside NATO, we need to have a strong European Union pillar for defense, a strong European security and defense identity.
05:51 How do you think that Europe will stay united and follow the policies that everybody should agree upon?
06:01 Because we see Hungary, what Hungary did when voted for the budget for Ukraine.
06:09 We see what Austria is acting now towards Romania on integration and Bulgaria on integration on Schengen.
06:17 And these are questions on the unity of Europe.
06:21 I have some experience of dealing with these issues.
06:23 And it's true that that's a very important challenge.
06:27 But I really believe with all respect for some countries that are still, or the governments of some countries,
06:35 that are creating some difficulties that at the end they will not be able to block the European Union
06:42 if there is a strong majority, a consensus on that direction.
06:48 I really believe that.
06:49 So, yes, for instance, there were some objections of the Hungarian government against some support Ukraine
06:57 and membership of Ukraine to the European Union, I mean the candidature of Ukraine.
07:03 But at the end it was approved.
07:04 So, we need a strong Europe now.
07:08 We need a stronger Europe.
07:10 And we can only be strong if we are united.
07:14 So, I will not support those who are, for very narrow points of view,
07:20 are putting obstacles either against Ukraine or against, in the case of the current members, Romania or Bulgaria.
07:28 I believe that Romania and Bulgaria are entitled to have the full membership of Schengen.
07:34 Please, one last question.
07:36 With your experience, tell me what is your message for the leaders of the EPP and for the leaders of the European Commission now?
07:46 My message is simple.
07:48 Stay united, stay firm.
07:52 The stronger our unity, the better we can defend our interests and our values.
08:00 This is an existential challenge.
08:02 We are living a historic period of great uncertainty and great danger for Europe.
08:08 So, my first message is stay united.
08:12 Of course, between 27 countries, it's difficult to all the countries to agree on all points.
08:18 But that's why the European Union is the art of negotiation, the art of compromise.
08:24 There is something we don't like, but we accept because also on other matters, the others don't like our proposals.
08:30 So, this culture of compromise, stay united with that spirit.
08:34 The second point is, of course, listen to the people.
08:38 I was, as you said, in the Commission, leading the Commission for 10 years, but I was also in many meetings of the Council, the European Council.
08:48 And I know that sometimes in Brussels, people lose the contact with the reality.
08:54 One thing is the European Parliament, that's a very important institution, but another thing is what our people, our citizens, our men and women back home think.
09:04 So, it's important that there is not a bubble in Brussels, that European institutions express what our citizens all over Europe,
09:15 and it's a very big European Union we have now, what they feel, what are their priorities.
09:21 Let's stay in contact with our people, and that's, I think, a very good message for the European People's Party.
09:27 Oh, yes. Thank you. Thank you very much.
09:30 And I really appreciate your presence here at the Euronews studio at the Congress.
09:36 My pleasure. Thank you.
09:37 Thank you very much.