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Romania will continue to be a supporter of the European design based on convergence, cohesion and solidarity among member states, which must be treated equally, on a non-discriminatory basis, irrespective of land size or geographical location, Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said in Warsaw on Wednesday at a meeting of the heads of government of the Central and Eastern European countries that joined the European Union after 2004.
"I have shown that both as a European Union member state and as the holder of presidency of the EU Council, Romania will continue to be an EU supporter, a supporter of a cohesive, inclusive Europe, an active partner involved in consensual efforts to manage current challenges. It is clear that common challenges can only be effectively managed in close co-operation among all the member states in a united and consensual manner, without divisions or tensions between groups of member states, large or small, new or old, from the East or from the West," Dancila said at a joint news conference with Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, agerpres.ro. informs.
According to a news statement released by the Romanian government, she added that the results of the EU Presidency so far would not have been possible without good co-operation with all the member states, that is without collaboration with European institutions such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the General Secretariat of the EU Council.
Dancila also presented a stage report of the Romanian presidency to the Council of the European Union, highlighting the completion of negotiations in a number of 90 legislative files, some of which are very complex: the Natural Gas Directive, the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, a regulation on the establishment of the European Labour Authority, a consumer package, s legislative package on the interoperability of EU information systems, a regulation on extending the mandate of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, a banking package, a legislative package on a capital markets union, as well as changes in the regulation governing the statute and funding of European political parties and foundations.
"Our efforts while holding the presidency of the EU Council have resulted in substantial results in negotiations over active legislative files. We have managed to complete negotiations in a number of 90 legislative files. Measures to strengthen the internal market and improve access to the labour market (...) are substantial results in the advancement of the European agenda that generates direct and complete effects for European citizens, "said Dancila.
As far as the future multiannual financial framework is concerned, the Romanian prime minister said that Romania has kept up an intense pace of negotiations under an "intense and realistic" work plan.
"The EU needs, at this political moment, a budget that is equally balanced and solid that further promotes convergence and unity of action and responds to new challenges and targets at EU level (...) Our efforts will continue throughout the entire term of office, given that we are talking about a file with a major political sensitivity, as the financial framework is not just the result of figures but the expression of the direction in which we see the development of the EU in the future, " Dancila concluded.
At the same time, the Romanian prime minister highlighted the beneficial effects of the enlargement of the European Union and showed that this remains the best way to demonstrate the transforming power of the EU. In this context, she reconfirmed Romania's support for the Western Balkan candidate and aspiring countries, promoting the principle of enlargement on the basis of own merits.
