Barroso urges new wave of optimism in Europe
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Tuesday (9 February) celebrated EU enlargement and the single currency as the bloc's main achievements in the face of crisis-related gloom in Europe.
Speaking to reporters in Strasbourg following the EU parliament's endorsement of his new team of 26 commissioners, the Portuguese politician attacked the "intellectual glamour" of "euro-pessimism" in the bloc.
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"I think that's one of the most damaging things we have in Europe: Europeans are always saying Europe is not good enough ...Some people like it. I don't like it. I believe Europe is a force for good, for our citizens and for the world," he said.
"We have reasons to be proud. We have extended the freedom of space and democracy to the whole continent, almost the whole continent," he went on. "Europe today is much stronger than when we were six, or nine, or 12."
The commission chief brought up the example of Iceland amid speculation that some struggling eurozone members, such as Spain or Greece, might be better off if they had kept their own currencies.
"Ordinary people [in Iceland] were going to the ATMs [cash machines] and they could not get their money. They could not use their credit cards. This happened to ordinary citizens, because they were not protected by the euro," he said.
The remarks were delivered by a visibly tired and at times distracted Mr Barroso, who at the press event twice suppressed a yawn and took time out to read messages on his phone.
Commenting on a new institutional pact with the EU parliament, which gives MEPs the authority to call for individual commissioners to resign and to ask the executive to consider new legislation, he drew a line in the sand.
"Of course I would have to give it serious consideration. Having said this, the final decision to replace a commissioner is, and will remain, in the hands of the commission president," Mr Barosso said.
The commission head also urged MEPs to vote in favour of sharing EU bank data with US counter-terrorism agents in a crunch decision to be taken by parliament at noon on Thursday.
He said deputies will in future be granted "easier access" to "classified parts of international agreements on which [they] enjoy the right of consent."
"I hope this reassurance paves the path to a positive vote," he said.