Jean-Claude Juncker Takes Aim at Brexit And Trump as He Reveals Plan to SAVE EU in a YEAR

• Jean-Claude Juncker Takes Aim at Brexit And Trump as He Reveals Plan to SAVE EU in a YEAR
  by REBECCA PERRING, http://www.express.co.uk/
  JEAN-CLAUDE Juncker has taken a swipe at Britain’s decision to quit the EU and hinted at more integration as he unveiled his masterplan to save the struggling bloc.
  –
  The EU Commission chief reflected on a “darkly dramatic” year as he called on the Brussels to turn its back on “isolationism, inequality and national egotism”. Mr Juncker’s remarks point to the growing eurosceptic movement sweeping the Continent fuelled by Britain’s momentous Brexit decision. And he went head to head with President Donald Trump, refusing to abandon plans for an integrated defence unit across the European Union. 
  –
  The beleaguered EU has entered a make or break year, with bitter divisions growing between member states over the escalating migrant crisis, the UK’s looming exit and US presidential election of Donald Trump.
  –
  Admitting that the bloc faces “considerable challenges in 2017”, the leading eurocrat said: “We started trying to find answers last year and luckily people in Europe realised that we can come up with better solutions by working together than if each Member State pursues only its own interests. “2017 is the year in which we must build on the initial progress made, demonstrate resilience and deliver real results.”
  –
  Uncertainty currently hangs over Brussels after Donald Trump ramped up his rhetoric against NATO, describing it as “obsolete”, while getting closer to Vladimir Putin. Most recently, the billionaire tycoon demanded Brussels abandon plans for an EU army if it wants the US to continue support for NATO. 
  –
  Going head to head with Mr Trump, Jean-Cl Juncker directly compared the EU and America’s military capability. He said: “Regardless of the outcome of the US elections, we cannot entrust our own security to others. This is why the Commission has proposed an agenda for a Common Security and Defence Policy, which will help us to work together more effectively in procurement and other matters.
  –
  “Member States should no longer be researching and investing in parallel, but rather together in this area. It is a question of efficiency. “In the EU, we have 154 different types of weapons systems, whilst in the USA there are only 27.”
  –
  But perhaps the trickiest issue for the Brussels boss will be trying to build a consensus on migration in order to protect Europe from terror. Mr Juncker hailed the European Border and Coast Guard, which can “act immediately, without having to get the go-ahead from individual Member States”.
  –
  read more.

end