Netherlands takes over EU Presidency in challenging time

InatimewhentheEuropeanUnionisbeingseverelyputtothetest,theNetherlandstookoverthePresidencyoftheCounciloftheEuropeanUnioninanattempttofocusontheessentials,creategrowthandjobsthroughinnovation,andtoconnectwithcivilsociety.

ThefourpriorityareastheNetherlandswillbefocusingonaremigrationandinternationalsecurity,soundfinancesandarobusteurozone,Europeasaninnovatorandjobcreator,andaforward-lookingclimateandenergypolicy.

AftertheterroristattacksinParisandduetotheinfluxofrefugees,thepressureisonintheEuropeanUnion,asituationacknowledgedbyDutchMinisterofForeignAffairsBertKoendersinhisStateoftheEuropeanUnionlettertotheEuropeanParliamentlatein2015."AsholderofthePresidencywewillhaveakeyroletoplayoverthecomingsixmonthsinkeepingtheEUoncourse,"hestated.

TheNetherlandshasbeenintheforefrontofEuropeanunityforalongtime,aimingforafederalEurope.IthadbeenamongthefoundingfathersofEU'spredecessor,theEuropeanCommunityofCoalandSteelin1952.Forthe12thtimeinhistorytheNetherlandsholdsthePresidencyoftheCounciloftheEuropeanUnion,withthelasttimebeingin2004.

Inrecentyears,therehasbeenagrowinganti-EuropesentimentinTheNetherlands,asinothercountriesoftheEU.Althoughwordedinrathergeneralphrases,thegeneralaimoftheDutchprogramisclear.Itistodesperatelymusterpublicsupport,bothinternallyandamongmemberstates.

Whilea"Grexit"wassolvedatenormouscosts,anew,evenmoredangerous"Brexit"seemstoloomonthehorizon.TheEuropeancontinentshowsadisproportionalincreaseoftheageingpopulation.Unemploymentishigh,especiallyamongtheyouthandamongthoseagedover50.Theeconomyisslowlyrecoveringfromaseverecrisis,butdevelopmentsarestillveryunbalanced.

TheproblemsthatfacetheEuropeanUnionarehugeandsolidarityamongmemberstatesisverylow,aswasdemonstratedintherefugeecrisis.MakingconnectionswillbeakeythemeduringtheDutchPresidency.

TheEUmust,accordingtotheDutch,connectwithitscitizens,sothattheycanidentifywithEUdecisions.TheNetherlandsalsoaimstobeareliableandeffectivemediatorthatforgescompromisesbetweenthe28memberstatesoftheEuropeanUnion,theEuropeanCommissionandtheEuropeanParliament.

ToencouragetheactiveinvolvementofpeopleandcivilsocietyorganizationsinEuropeandecision-making,avisitors'centerwillbelocatednearthePresidencyvenueinAmsterdam.TherevisitorscanlearnmoreaboutthehistoryandoperationoftheEU.

TheNetherlandsbelievestheEUmustfocusonareasthatwillmakeEuropestronger,suchasprosperity,freedomandsecurity.TheEUshouldaccordingtotheDutchnotinvolveitselfinmattersthatthememberstatesareperfectlycapableofdealingwiththemselves,likehealthcare,education,pensionsandtaxes.

Themigrationcrisishas,accordingtotheDutchgovernment,revealedvariousshortcomingsintheEuropeanareaoffreedom,securityandjusticethatrequireaction."TheEUcannotaffordtoshyawayfromthis,"KoenderssaidinhisStateoftheEuropeanUnionletter."Thecrisisrequiresacommonapproach,toensuretherapidelaborationandimplementationoftheEuropeanCommission'spackageofproposalsonmigration."

TheNetherlandswantstheEUtofocusonaddressingthepoliticalandeconomicrootcausesofmigration,onfindingtherightapproachtopeoplesmugglingandbordercontrol,onimprovingreceptionandprotectionintheregionandprovidingfutureprospectsforrefugeessotheycanreturntotheircountryoforigin.

ItisclearthatthechallengeofmigrationandrefugeesishighontheagendaduringtheDutchPresidency.Inaddition,theeconomiesofthememberstateshavenotyetfullyrecoveredfromthefinancialandeconomiccrises,andtherisingemploymentratesandeconomicupturnarestillonlymodest.Socreatingsustainablegrowth,innovationandjobsremainsatoppriorityfortheNetherlands.

TheNetherlandssetsgreatstorebycreatingnewjobsandpromotinganinnovativeeconomyintheEU.TheNetherlandswantstoachievethisby,forinstance,removingobstaclesforcompaniesthatwanttodobusinessinothermemberstates,concludingtradeagreements,protectingworkersmoreeffectivelyagainstexploitationandunfaircompetition.

Aspointedoutasfourthpriority,theNetherlandsiscommittedtoacoherentapproachtoissuesconcerningtheclimate,theenvironmentandsustainability,committedtoaEuropeanEnergyUnionandtoaforward-lookingclimatepolicy.TheNetherlandsemphasizesthesynergybetweentheseissuesandisworkingtowardsafuture-proofmodelforsustainablegrowth.

EachEUPresidencyworkscloselywiththetwomemberstatesthatprecededorwillfollowit,calledthe"TrioPresidency".TheNetherlands,whichwillholdthePresidencyfromJan.1toJune30,2016,ispartneredwiththenextPresidency'sofSlovakia(July-December2016)andMalta(January-June2017).

TomarkthestartoftheDutchPresidency,theEuropeanCommissionerswillvisittheNetherlandsonJan.7.TheywillmeettheentireDutchcabinetofPrimeMinisterMarkRutteattheMaritimeMuseuminAmsterdam.

ThenationalMaritimeMuseuminAmsterdamwillbethevenueforministerialmeetingsduringtheNetherlandsPresidency,whilemeetingsofhigh-levelofficialswilltakeplaceattheformernavalyardnexttothemuseum,thesiteoftheEuropeBuilding,atemporarystructurethathasbeenconstructedandequippedforhigh-levelmeetingsorganizedbyallministries.

AttheEuropeBuildingRuttewillspeaktoJean-ClaudeJuncker,thePresidentoftheEuropeanCommission,onThursday.TheothermembersofthegovernmentandtheEuropeanCommissionwillatthesametimehaveseveralsessionsonvarioustopicsandtheEuropeanCommissionwilllateronThursdaybereceivedbyDutchKingWillem-AlexanderattheRoyalPalaceinAmsterdam.

InhisStateoftheEuropeanUnionletter,KoendersexpressedthehopethatoverthenextsixmonthstheDutchEUPresidencywillfosterunityandresolve,toensuretheEuropeanUnioncanhelpalleviatepeople'sconcerns."ThisUnionof28memberstatesisnotperfect,"hesaid."Butitprovidesessentialtoolswithwhichtotacklethechallengesoftoday."