The Minister of Public Finance, Mr. Eugen Teodorovici, presented today in Brussels, in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) of the European Parliament, the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the economic and financial field.
Both during his presentation and in the answers he gave to the questions addressed by the members of the European Parliament of the ECON Commission, the Romanian minister drew the main lines of action of the Romanian Presidency of the Council for Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN), placing the focus on the need to deliver concrete results for the European citizens and maintain the unity of the European project at a time of many challenges.
“European citizens, their aspirations and concerns, will be the core of the Romanian Presidency. Our ambition is to advance and complete as many priority legislative files as possible, in order to bring tangible results for the citizens of the European Union. Romania takes over the Presidency of the EU Council at an important time for the Union, marked by major challenges. In this framework, maintaining the integrity of the European project and the cohesion between the Member States are essential objectives of the European Union, to which we will most certainly bring our contribution”, declared minister Teodorovici in this respect.
In his speech, the Romanian minister also referred to the need for good cooperation between all European institutions, as well as for constructive and transparent involvement of all Member States in the consolidation of the European project. “From this perspective, a constructive, open, and pragmatic collaboration of the EU Council with the European Parliament is important for the Romanian Presidency, even more since we are facing an extended series of trialogues and consulting sessions, especially under the pressure imposed by the upcoming European elections”, emphasized Minister Eugen Teodorovici in this framework.
With regard to the agenda of the ECOFIN Council in the first 6 months of this year, the Romanian minister reminded as main fields the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union, including through consolidation of the Banking Union and the continued development of the Capital Markets Union, equitable and efficient taxation, ensuring coordination and cooperation on economic policies at European level, in order to consolidate performance and strengthen the resilience of economies.
Not lastly, minister Teodorovici emphasized that in the following six months a Europe of convergence is the main topic on the agenda of the Romanian Presidency at ECOFIN.
“Our general objectives are to promote economic and social convergence and improve the operation of the single market. We will focus on reducing development gaps between regions and between different social and economic categories in order to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU”, concluded the Romanian minister.