DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 25 -- A group of European leaders on Thursday evening showed their both common and divided views on the future of the European Union (EU) at a panel discussion focused on "Europe momentum" during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte noted that the EU makes possible much that cannot be accomplished by individual member states, from negotiating trade deals to ensuring security and controlling migration, but drew the line at "transfer unions", in which richer member states are asked to bankroll poorer peers.
"People are talking about risk-sharing, and transfer unions. I don't like that. We should each do what we should, as nations," the prime minister said.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa echoed and added to Rutte's comments, but did not rule out the possibility of transfer unions.
"To have stability, we need to have rules and discipline, but also the means for other countries to catch up, this is a pillar of stability of the Eurozone," Costa noted.
Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar noted that his country has benefited significantly from "something of a transfer union around structural funds," and that after having used it to build up infrastructure, Ireland is now a net contributor.
He stressed the need to extend this approach to help the countries of Central Eastern Europe develop their own infrastructure.
On the implications of an emerging Franco-German axis, Varadkar said, "We can only welcome France and Germany coming together, but do we want to see just the big countries deciding the fate for all of Europe?"
"What do the small countries think, they must ask. Then it can be a really strong engine," he added.
Cecilia Malmstrom, commissioner for trade of the European Commission, noted that the "lack of leadership by the United States," as she described it, has actually provided space for the EU to "show that they can make good trade deals."
Peter Limbourg, director-general of Deutsche Welle of Germany, said that after a frightening downhill run that saw the euro crisis, an immigration crisis and a surge of populist and nationalist movements culminating in Brexit, the European rollercoaster is "heading uphill again" with stability and growth.
"But we don't know where we will land," said Limbourg.
The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place on Jan. 23-26 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, attracting more than 3,000 leaders from around the world to participate.
双语美文:人生中的“蝴蝶效应”
刘欢、莎拉•布莱曼将演唱奥运主题歌
“黑马”常永祥 中国奥运摔跤“银”突破
澳大利亚青年欲破世界最长说唱纪录
熊猫粪便垒成的“维纳斯”卖出高价
朱莉安摩尔半裸出镜 拍限量版挂历照
巴西男足教练:“奥运会夺金比世界杯夺冠难”
双语:妈咪摇滚DJ席卷纽约
271件毕加索作品重见天日?
双语美文:感恩节让心中充满感谢
小贝一家健身狂 贝嫂热衷深夜跑步
威廉王子婚礼将拍3D电影 与百姓分享
转基因的奥运会运动员?
《绝望主妇》各集结束语精选
婚姻新杀手: 美1/5离婚案与Facebook有关
布莱克莱弗利疯狂购物 狂扫40双鞋
英国小学生办婚礼 早熟程度令人咋舌
韩电视台曝光奥运开幕式遭谴责
台湾女性不惧当“剩女”
“哈利波特”捞金有术 跻身英国富豪榜
香烟盒大变样 “素颜”包装减少诱惑
巴基斯坦女运动员:参加奥运就是梦想成真
台湾女孩获杀入世界最好工作11强
奥运选手“备战”污染
威廉王子未婚妻凯特订婚长裙惨遭山寨
台湾小胖弟模仿蔡依林跳热辣折手舞
做好奥运东道主——怎么招待外国人
朱莉大谈育儿经 感慨“当妈很累”
奥运英语:体操项目对话欣赏
双语:牙膏会让胎儿大脑受损?
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |