EU President Donald Tusk has warned that the European Union could break down completely after Brexit, at a summit to mark the organisation's 60th anniversary.
Tusk called for leadership to steer Europe out of crisis at the special summit in Rome, which is being held today to mark the anniversary of the bloc's founding treaties.
'Prove today that you are the leaders of Europe, that you can care for this great legacy we inherited from the heroes of European integration 60 years ago,' former Polish prime minister Tusk said in a speech. 'Europe as a political entity will either be united, or will not be at all.'
Twenty-seven leaders are meeting without British Prime Minister Theresa May to celebrate the signing of the European Union's founding Treaty of Rome on March 25, 1957.
Britain's decision to leave the bloc is one of a host of crises facing an increasingly divided EU, along with migration, the economy, terrorism and the rise of populist and nationalist parties.Tusk said the bloc should look back to its founding principles, rather than get distracted by controversial plans to let EU countries integrate at different speeds.
The controversial measures are set to be endorsed by leaders in a special declaration in Rome.
The new Rome declaration to commit to a united future and deal with the myriad crises which has beset the EU over the past decade is likely to be adopted without any problems after both Poland and Greece lifted their objections on the eve of the summit.
'Today in Rome we are renewing the unique alliance of free nations that was initiated 60 years ago by our great predecessors,' Tusk said.
'At that time they did not discuss multiple speeds, they did not devise exits, but despite all the tragic circumstances of the recent history, they placed all their faith in the unity of Europe.'
He added: 'The union after Rome should be, more than before, a union of the same principles, a union of external sovereignty, a union of political unity.'
Tusk called for leadership to steer Europe out of crisis at the special summit in Rome, which is being held today to mark the anniversary of the bloc's founding treaties.
'Prove today that you are the leaders of Europe, that you can care for this great legacy we inherited from the heroes of European integration 60 years ago,' former Polish prime minister Tusk said in a speech. 'Europe as a political entity will either be united, or will not be at all.'
Britain's decision to leave the bloc is one of a host of crises facing an increasingly divided EU, along with migration, the economy, terrorism and the rise of populist and nationalist parties.Tusk said the bloc should look back to its founding principles, rather than get distracted by controversial plans to let EU countries integrate at different speeds.
The controversial measures are set to be endorsed by leaders in a special declaration in Rome.
The new Rome declaration to commit to a united future and deal with the myriad crises which has beset the EU over the past decade is likely to be adopted without any problems after both Poland and Greece lifted their objections on the eve of the summit.
'Today in Rome we are renewing the unique alliance of free nations that was initiated 60 years ago by our great predecessors,' Tusk said.
'At that time they did not discuss multiple speeds, they did not devise exits, but despite all the tragic circumstances of the recent history, they placed all their faith in the unity of Europe.'
He added: 'The union after Rome should be, more than before, a union of the same principles, a union of external sovereignty, a union of political unity.'
No comments:
Post a Comment