Romanian President Traian Basescu took part Thursday in Brussels in an informal session of the European Council on the topic of member states’ economic situation, and spoke about the need to simplify access to community funds, especially under unfavorable economic conditions.
In a press release issued Thursday evening, the Presidency saidthe issue of the future European strategy on workforce growth andoccupation (called EU 2020) was also raised, as well as EU actionto fight global warming, and aid for Haiti, which was recentlystruck by a powerful earthquake.
The Romanian head of state stressed the fact that EU 2020 musttake into account the differences between member states as regardseconomic and social development. Basescu said proper financing forcohesion policies and the common agricultural policy, transport andenergy infrastructure, and the development of the food industry andtourism sector are Romania's priorities.
The Romanian president also talked about the need to simplifyaccess to common funds, especially under austere economicconditions. Basescu saluted the Council's decision to changecurrent legislation on access to structural funds.
Basescu said that ensuring the European economy's sustainablegrowth is tied to the existence of a competitive businessenvironment, with high workforce occupation. The Romanian head ofstate said member states need to work together to eliminatenational barriers to free workforce movement and consolidate theirfiscal-budgetary liability.
The second topic on the meeting's agenda was climate change.President Basescu re-stated Romania's support for a 20% decrease inemissions by 2020 and the mobilization of a common contribution tofinance such efforts of developing countries.
On the subject of foreign relations, Council members exchangedopinions on the reconstruction efforts in Haiti and the EU'sinvo
