The countdown has now started: 30 days to go until the european elections…May 25th

Jean-Claude Juncker, former Luxemburg prime minister (CSP), elected as the candidate of the European people’s party (EPP) to become the President of the European Commission  held a press conference this thursday morning inthe EPP’s headquarters in Brussels.

On this occasion, the “Juncker for President” campaign agenda until the elections has been made pubic. And the theme of the compaign “This time it’s different” pretty well sums the future field of action : “We need to learn to be proud of Europe again, for Europe has proven to the world that europeans are capable of great things when they are united.”

 

Priorities

Juncker underlined 5 priorities for the EPP: 

1. Create a single market for consumer and companies in the telecommunication matter.

2. Reform and reorganize energy in order to reduce dependance on energy imports: “If I am Commission President, I will add strengthening Europe’s energy policy to my list of top priorities“.

3. Build a trustful transatlantic partnership: EPP welcomes the trade negociations with the US, as long as the agreement protects Europe’s high standards (in terms of security, health…).

4. Create conditions that favour small and medium-sized businesses, family firms, start-ups and entrepreneurs, including R&D funding, private investment, and more accessible lending. In the same time, EPP invests in education, research and technology, leading to innovation, new ideas, a competitive economy rooted in knowledge and new digital services.

“My priority as Commission President will be to bring Europe back on track to economic growth and new jobs.”

5. Answer to the British question. EPP wants to keep the United Kingdom within Europe: “This country is stronger inside the European Union than outside”.

Elections

The president of the European Commission is the head of European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. He determines the Commission’s policy agenda and all the legislative proposals it produces. Furthermore, the president represents the European Union abroad. This fonction was established in 1958 and is elected by the European Parliament (on a proposal of the European Council) for a five-year term(after an extensive hearing). The actual President is José Manuel Barroso, who took office in October 2004. He’s also a member of the EPP and the former Prime Minister of Portugal.

The elections to the European Parliament will be held in all members states of European Union between 22-23 May 2014.

Coralie DEVIES.