GERMAN Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel revealed his shocking vision of the future that would see the European Union completely control the continent.
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EU news: Sigmar Gabriel said European countries will have to accept more EU control
He said: “There is no loss of sovereignty by being part of the European Union. There may be a loss of sovereignty when it comes to shaping life in Europe if we did not have a European Union and if nation states by themselves had to defend the interests of their population.”
Mr Gabriel’s plans for the future of the European institutions falls in line with the proposals Mr Juncker presented during his State of the Union Speech in September 2017.
The Brussels boss called for EU integration in the face of rising populism after Britain voted to sever ties with the bloc ahead of crunch elections in Italy, Sweden, Hungary and the Czech Republic, where eurosceptic parties are gaining momentum.
In his address, Mr Juncker said sweeping changes to the EU institutions, which would also include electing MEPs on a European basis from 2019, could be achieved without treaty change.
He laid out ambitious plans for measures he said could be achieved without changing the bloc’s fundamental charter – something that would spark referenda in a large number of member states.
These included taking more decisions on joint foreign policy by majority vote, rather than unanimity, and setting up a European Monetary Fund complete with a eurozone finance ministry and minister.
The move towards a so-called ‘United States of Europe’ would also create yet more bureaucracy with the creation of a new EU electoral authority which would regulate the electoral lists.
Guy Verhofstadt, the Brexit coordinator for the European Parliament and leading critic of Britain’s decision to leave the EU, welcomed Mr Juncker’s plans with excitement.
The Belgian MEP pledged his support to the EU Commissioner’s federalist plans to integrate Brussels’ law further into the socio-economic frameworks of member states.
Mr Verhofstadt said: “I have to confess something, that each time I have heard these proposals – the State of the Union, your agenda – I felt an excitement.
But the proposals are causing nervousness in some wealthier member states who fear being dragged into debt pooling but form a key plank of federalists’ proposed reform of the eurozone.
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