Europe must do more to ensure growth, says Dutch Prime Minister

Posted on Mar 3, 2012 in News | 3 comments

Europe must do more to ensure growth, says Dutch Prime Minister

A letter on economic growth drafted at the initiative of the Netherlands and the UK prompted a long discussion at the first day of the European Council meeting, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said after the meeting on 1 March.

The Netherlands advocates further development of the European internal market in such areas as digital and other services, Mr Rutte said. The European Union can also promote growth by lightening the regulatory burden and concluding trade agreements.

The European Council also decided to grant Serbia the status of candidate country.

Finally, it decided to discus Romanian and Bulgarian accession to the Schengen area again in September. The Netherlands still takes a critical attitude, and can only agree to accession if Cooperation and Verification Mechanism reports show that the two countries have made enough progress in a number of fields.

More at The Dutch Daily News

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  • Hans

    Discus Romanian and Bulgarian accession to the Schengen area in September? Why bother when the risks outweigh the benefits.

  • Calvin

    @ Hans Maybe so but it will affect the Dutch economy too since the NGO called for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens to boycott the Dutch goods offered at the market until the two countries are allowed to join the Schengen.“We appeal to the Bulgarians and Romanians to boycott the Dutch goods. Let them stop refilling at Dutch filling stations; stop buying Dutch cosmetic products, vegetables and food products. And most of all – do not buy Dutch tulips for Woman’s Day on March 8. – Headline News ‘The Dutch Flower Wars” – the battles are still raging for fair treatment and equal opportunity vs Romania and Bulgaria doing more to reform their justice systems and combat corruption and organized crime.

  • Guido

    And this is what the EU now stands for. European Unilateralism. ;)