EU: The European Commission will today acknowledge that the EU must regain the trust of citizens who feel that what happens in Brussels has little to do with their everyday lives.
Outlining what he believes should be the EU's strategic objectives for the next five years, the Commission President, Mr José Manuel Barroso, will promise to create more prosperity, solidarity and security for European citizens and to give the EU a bigger voice on the world stage.
A draft of Mr Barroso's statement, which The Irish Times has seen, says the Commission must recognise the concerns of "significant sections of the European public" who are not convinced that Europe is on the right track.
"The reasons for this reduced confidence are widespread and include sluggish economic growth, heightened feelings of economic and personal insecurity, fears of a loss of identity and a more general feeling of 'disconnect' between what happens in 'Brussels' and in people's everyday lives. There is an urgent need to demonstrate more clearly the value of what the Union brings and the legitimacy of its decisions," the draft says.
Mr Barroso will identify growth and jobs as the most urgent issue facing Europe in the second half of this decade and restoring sustainable dynamic growth as the top priority. He will call for better implementation of EU decisions by the member-states and better regulation in Brussels.
The draft communication stresses, however, that solidarity between the prosperous and the less well-off must remain a central feature of the European social model. "Without solidarity and security, prosperity will not be fully realised: the economy is there to serve people, not the other way round," it says.
Mr Barroso will call for changes to the labour market to encourage a better-skilled and more flexible workforce, and will suggest that immigration could be part of the solution to Europe's problems. "European societies are concerned that the benefits may be outweighed by the costs of integration; but a balance can be found which benefits migrants and the host societies alike."
On foreign policy, Mr Barroso will call for greater political coherence on external action so that the EU's political clout can better match its economic weight.
"If it wants to have a stronger presence and influence on the international scene, it needs to speak with a single voice and promote a coherent stand. Equally, its capacity to influence also depends on its ability to establish coherent and effective relations with key partners, in particular the transatlantic relationship."
The Commission hopes to reach agreement before the end of June with the European Parliament and the 25 EU governments on a common platform for action for the next five years.