EU is talking about sharing intelligence since 1999, but haven’t acted for “reasons I don’t understand”, said
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, while meeting with
Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France in the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels.
Juncker and Valls held a joint press point that followed their
bilateral talks concerning theBrussels terror attacks, after theminute
of silence event that took place on Wednesday, some 300 meters away
from the Maelbeek metro station.
Juncker appeared “overwhelmed, moved, angered”, as he stated that
European citizens’ determination “is to do what democrats should do”.
Juncker further asked for fast adoption of the Commission’s directive on
arms, as astep towardsthe achievement of a “security union”. “Europe,
besidesan energy union, a customs and financial union, also needs a
security union”.
The French Prime Minister offered “condolences and solidarity to
those who suffered loss” on behalf of France. “The moment of silence
brought the two countries together”, stressed Valls, expressing his
intention to meet with the Commission College, as this was “an attack
onall that Europe was about”. “We are in awar”, underlined Valls.
Valls asked for stronger controls at Europe’sexternal borders, and
for measuresto combat armstrafficking. “We have to find an agreement
on systematic controls at theexternal borders”, he added, as “part of
theEuropean security pack”. “If we do not act, with populism on the
rise, the European project will runout of steam”, he suggested, asking
for a “strong reaction”.
Valls also asked the European Parliament to stop blockingthe
Passengers Name Record (PNR) legislation, hopingfor its immediate
validation and implementation. This is also the position of the European
Commission, expressed both by Juncker, and by Commisioner
Dimitris Avramopoulos. Valls also said that theEuropean Coastguard will play animportant role insecuring the EU’sexternal borders.
http://neurope.eu/article/juncker-meets-valls-europe-needs-security-union/