Jean-Claude Juncker Warns Britain of ‘Hefty Bill’ for Brexit

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, makes a speech to the Belgian federal parliament on Tuesday and warns that the British people must prepare to pay a “very heft bill” for leaving the European Union. Although Juncker says the EU must not enter negotiations with “a heart filled with hostility” he does stress that the terms of leaving will not be “cut-price or zero cost”

Read the Guardian article here

Obama Calling Russia 'Regional Power' Was Big Error – EC Head Juncker

Outgoing US President Obama made a big mistake calling Russia a “regional power,” the European Commission chief said in an interview. Europe, instead, should treat Russia as “one big entity and a proud nation,” and there is a lot to learn about it.

Juncker's Full 2016 'State of the Union' Address

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gave his annual "State of the European Union" address in the European Parliament at 9.00am in Strasbourg this morning (14 Wednesday).

Juncker: Europe Cannot Accept Violence against Polish Workers

'Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson Are Retro-nationalists,' Says Jean-Claude Juncker

The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, speaks in the European parliament on Tuesday. He says former Ukip leader Nigel Farage and the Tory figurehead of the Vote Leave campaign, Boris Johnson, are unpatriotic because they both resigned after the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Belgium: UK Must Clarify Position So EU Can Get On with Brexit Says Juncker

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Press Conference after Brexit Vote

Is This Jean-Claude Juncker Drunk?

Refugees Will Freeze to Death, Warn EU Heads

Luxembourgish President of the European Commission
Jean-Claude Juncker

THE TELEGRAPH: Leaders warn the continent was "falling apart" trying to deal with the migrant crisis

Migrants crossing the Balkans will begin freezing to death as winter approaches, the head of European Union has said, as leaders warned the continent was "falling apart" trying to deal with the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War.

As leaders of eastern European countries turned on each other at a foul-tempered emergency summit in Brussels, they said the Schengen visa-free zone and even the European Union itself could be pulled apart as states threw up borders to halt the influx.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said a solution was urgently needed or thousands of refugee families facing winter temperature on the hillsides and freezing river-banks of Eastern Europe, would die.

"Every day counts," he said. "Otherwise we will soon see families in cold rivers in the Balkans perish miserably." Miro Cerar, the Slovenian prime minister, said the EU was days from collapse as his country buckled under an “unbearable” influx of migrants.

"If we do not deliver some immediate and concrete actions on the ground in the next few days and weeks I believe the EU and Europe as a whole will start falling apart," he said.

Werner Faymann, the Austrian chancellor, said Sunday's meeting would "either consolidate the unity of Europe or watch the slow decomposition of the EU." » | Matthew Holehouse, in Brussels and Melanie Hall in Berlin | Sunday, October 25, 2015

Europe's Glory Days At An End, Warns Juncker

THE TELEGRAPH: The European Union faces an age of comparative economic decline, while the 'love' affair' of integration is at risk, says Jean-Claude Juncker in downbeat assessment of Europe's future

The European Union faces long-term economic decline and the “love affair” of integration is at risk, Jean Claude-Juncker has said in a downbeat assessment of the bloc’s future.

“Economically, we see the end of Europe’s glorious years compared with what others are doing,” the president of the European Commission said.

The “dream” of a unified continent is at risk from “fissures and fractures” of national divisions and separatist movements, he said.

“The European Union is not going very well,” Mr Juncker said. “And so we must ensure that we keep alive the ambitions, hopes and dreams of Europe.” Read on and comment » | Matthew Holehouse, in Brussels | Thursday, October 22, 2015

Euro, Russland, Flüchtlinge - wie geht es weiter mit der EU? - Diskussion am 09.10.2015

Im Rahmen des Themenschwerpunktes zeigt phoenix die Diskussionsrunde "Menschen in Europa" mit Jean-Claude Juncker (EU-Kommissionspräsident)

Jean-Claude Junker: 'European Policies Must Not Be Dictated by Washington'

Europe must treat Russia with more decency, improve the relationship, and not let EU policies be dictated by Washington, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a surprise speech in Germany.

Bruxelles veut que la Suisse accueille des réfugiés

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La Commission européenne veut inclure la Suisse dans la répartition des réfugiés.

La Commission européenne souhaite que la Suisse participe à l'avenir à la clé de répartition permanente des réfugiés, en tant qu'Etat associé aux accords de Dublin. Mais un flou subsiste sur cette «obligation».

Dans sa proposition, adoptée jeudi par le Parlement européen, la Commission européenne prévoit de créer un mécanisme de répartition permanent et contraignant. Le texte fait référence à l'accord de Dublin passé avec quatre pays non-membres de l'UE, soit la Suisse, l'Islande, la Norvège et le Liechtenstein. » | jeudi 9 septembre 2015

Britain Can Stay ‘In’, Says Juncker, But Then It Should Butt Out

David Cameron and Jean[-]Claude Juncker deep in discussion

THE TELEGRAPH: There was no attempt to sugar the pill in Strasbourg today when Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his 'State of the Union' address

Even when times are tough American presidents always declare the state of their union to be “strong”, or something similarly optimistic, but after a year of near perpetual crisis in Europe Jean-Claude Juncker was past pretending: the European Union, he said, is not in “a good state”.

But if this occasion was a showcase for the European Commission president to lay down a vision for how to fix the continent’s ills, from the recent migrant crisis to the still-wobbly euro, it did not inspire confidence.

Mr Juncker spoke for 90 minutes – an absurdly long time – prescribing “more Europe” as the panacea for everything while being heckled from the upper slopes of the chamber by an assortment of anti-Federalist MEPs, including some from our own Ukip.

As a spectacle, it was risible – but that cannot distract from the fact that Mr Juncker is right about one thing: Europe’s challenges have now taken on an existential quality. » | Peter Foster | Wednesday, September 9, 2015

'You've Simply Got It Wrong' Farage Blasts EU's Juncker as He Dishes Out Refugee QUOTAS

Nigel Farage has blasted Jean-Claude Juncker for his
'compulsory' refugee quotas

EXPRESS: NIGEL Farage has blasted the European Union for allowing migrants to "flow" into Europe in "biblical proportions" as Jean-Claude Juncker sets out COMPULSORY refugee quotas to share 160,000 asylum seekers.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has called for solidarity from the EU's 28 member states in responding to Europe's worst migration crisis since the Second World War.

Criticising Europe's failure to come up with a united response to the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving on its shores, Mr Juncker said quotas will now be "compulsory".

He took a swipe at David Cameron's refusal to voluntarily sign up to the quota, saying he hoped this time "everybody will be on board".

As he dishes out quotas for each country in the Schengen open borders arrangement, Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: "Mr Juncker you've simply got this wrong."

He said his stark warning in April, that the terms of the European Common Asylum Policy were set so wife [sic] that "anyone who sets a foot on EU soil can stay".

He added: "I said it would lead to a flow of biblical proportions and indeed that is what we are beginning to see and that's been compounded by Germany last week saying that basically anyone can come. » | Selina Sykes | Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Refugee Crisis: Juncker Calls for EU to Take 'Bold, Concerted Action'

European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker
addresses the European parliament in Strasbourg.

THE GUARDIAN: European commission president uses first state of the union address to urge member states to accept plan to relocate 160,000 refugees

Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, has called for “bold, concerted action” to deal with Europe’s most serious refugee crisis since the second world war.

In his first annual state of the union address before the European parliament in Strasbourg, Juncker urged member states to accept the commission’s plan to relocate 160,000 refugees fleeing war and terror.

Juncker acknowledged that the numbers of people arriving in Europe was “frightening” for some, but declared: “Now is not the time for fright, this is time for bold, concerted action. It is a matter of humanity and dignity, for Europe it is a matter for historical fairness.”

Recalling past waves of migration, Juncker reminded his audience that Europe was the world’s wealthiest and most stable continent.

“We have the means to help those fleeing war and terror. There is certainly an unprecedented number of refugees, but it is just 0.11% of Europe’s population. Refugees represent 25% of Lebanon’s population,” said Juncker. » | Mark Tran | Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Europe's Big Guns Warn Greek Voters That A No Vote Means Euro Exit

THE GUARDIAN: Germany, France and Italy joined the European commission in insisting that Sunday’s poll was about continued eurozone membership

The eurozone’s three biggest countries have raised the stakes in next Sunday’s Greek referendum with an orchestrated warning to voters that a no vote would mean exit from the single currency and the return of the drachma.

As the Greek economy suffered on its first day of stringent capital controls, politicians from Germany, France and Italy joined the European commission in insisting that the poll was not about whether Athens could secure more favourable bailout terms but was about continued euro membership.

The stark assessment was shared by George Osborne, who told MPs that the UK economy would be affected by the chaos that would result from Greece leaving the eurozone. » | Larry Elliott, Graeme Wearden and Nicholas Watt | Monday, June 29, 2015

Junckers Armee ist eine Utopie

TAGES ANZEIGER: Kommentar – Die Sicherheit ist der Kern nationaler Souveränität. Darum wird es auf absehbare Zeit keine EU-Armee geben.

Eine EU-Armee wird es auf absehbare Zeit nicht geben. Das weiss auch Jean-Claude Juncker. Der Kommissions­präsident aus dem kleinen Luxemburg ist ein Mann der grossen Träume. Die braucht es manchmal, um einem alten Projekt neuen Schub zu verpassen. Die Idee einer europäischen Streitmacht taucht nicht zum ersten Mal auf, ist aber bisher immer wieder schnell in der Versenkung verschwunden.

Juncker sieht angesichts der neuen Bedrohung durch ein aggressives Russland neue Chancen für das Fernziel und frische Dringlichkeit, darauf hinzuarbeiten. Die Frage im Hintergrund lautet vereinfacht: Wie hält es Europa mit seiner Verteidigung?

Fast alle Regierungen sind sich einig, dass der Status quo höchst unbefriedigend ist. Die Europäer haben in den letzten Jahren ihre Ver­teidigungshaushalte zum Teil rigoros zusammengestrichen und sind deshalb für ihre Sicherheit mehr denn je auf ihre amerikanischen Verbündeten angewiesen. » | Stephan Israel, EU-Korrespondent | Brüssel | Montag, 09. März 2015

Jean-Claude Juncker Compares British Membership of EU to Doomed Romance

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: EU Commission president says people should not stay together if conditions aren’t the same as when things started - the first time he has contemplated a British exit

Jean-Claude Juncker has compared British membership of the EU to a doomed romance and suggested it is time for Britain to get a divorce from Europe.

It is the first time the president of the European Commission has publicly contemplated a British exit and he reinforced his message by insisting he would not get down on his knees to beg Britain to stay.

“People shouldn’t stay together if the conditions aren’t the same as when things started. It’s easy to fall in love and more difficult to stay together,” he said in Paris this weekend.

“I am for the respect of member states, respect between the institutions and member states. I am against all forms of grovelling.”

Mr Juncker, whose appointment to the EU’s top job was opposed by David Cameron, told an elite audience of French officials that he was ready to discuss British demands for treaty change, but set out “red lines”.

In a blow to the Prime Minister, the commission president said the EU would reject, without debate, Conservative calls to change treaties to give national authorities more powers to stop-large scale inflows of migrants from Eastern Europe.

“When one mentions the end of the free circulation of workers, there can be no debate, dialogue or compromise,” he said. “We can fight against abuses but the EU won’t change the treaties to satisfy the whim of certain politicians.” » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Sunday, January 18, 2015

EU Judge Gives Jean-Claude Juncker the 'Key Task' of Defeating Euroscepticism

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Your mission is to defeat Eurosceptics, the EU's most senior judge tells the president of the European Commission

Europe’s most senior judge has told Jean-Claude Juncker that his political mission is to prevent Eurosceptics from trampling on “the fruits of European integration”.

Vassilios Skouris, the president of the Court of Justice, Europe’s highest judicial body, made the extraordinary comments in a ceremony aimed at upholding the political independence of the European Commission.

He instructed Mr Juncker that his “key task” was to prevent the critics of the European Union from reducing the powers of institutions such as the Luxembourg court he oversees, or the commission in Brussels.

“I would like to say a few words about your mission,” Mr Skouris said.

“You are taking up office during the worst financial and economic crisis that Europe has suffered at a time when the European ideal is beset by criticism from Eurosceptic circles. Thus your key task is to prevent the fruits of European integration being trampled in the dust.” » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Wednesday, December 10, 2014