Belgian PM sets out priorities for Europe in Europe Day speech in Berlin
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Loading... - Elise Bunschoten
- 11 May 2022
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In order to make energy prices in Europe affordable again and to make the EU energy-independent from Russia, Mr De Croo once again proposed a new financing plan at European level. Mr De Croo first launched his proposal in early March, a few days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Belgian Prime Minister said “instead of buying our fossil fuels from autocrats, we should buy our energy from each other and also sell it to each other. Exchange the hydroelectric electricity produced in the north for the solar energy produced in the south and wind energy from our seas. And if we mean it, we must develop a new, ambitious European financing plan, financed at European level and dedicated to European projects".
Mr De Croo says that Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are leading the way in the use of clean hydrogen. "We also need to work together to develop zero-waste nuclear energy".
Belgium’s decision to extend the operational life of country’s two newest nuclear power plants by 10 years (until 2035) is a source of concern among our German neighbours.
As regards defence policy Mr De Croo wants to see a Europe that "is always open to the world without being naive". He calls on the EU to form a "military-industrial bloc as one of the two pillars of NATO, alongside the US pillar”
Once again, Mr De Croo argued for less fragmentation. European countries should, in his view, acquire more interoperable military equipment, while investments in military technology should have an industrial and societal 'return'.
Enlargement of the EU
Mr De Croo went on to say that the war in Ukraine has brought yet another issue to the fore: the enlargement of the European Union. "Our European neighbours are in danger of being transformed into vassal states, either through Russia's military strength or through an aggressive investment policy, such as we are already seeing in the Balkans." Read More...
