‘Brexit was a warning shot’ – an upday exclusive interview with Jean-Claude Juncker

With his grey hair and dark suits, Jean-Claude Juncker has become the human embodiment of the EU that Brexiteers rail against.

The outgoing president of the European Commission is the public face of the EU that the 52% voted to ditch. Never shy of declaring his allegiance to the European project, Juncker appears to revel in playing the villain where Brexit is concerned, calling Theresa May’s demands during Brexit negotiations “nebulous” (although he says he preferred the translation “foggy”), openly mocking the prime minister at the podium, and goading his nemesis Nigel Farage on the floor of the European Parliament.

But compared to the other tabloid villains of the EU, such as the icy Michel Barnier, who has been doing such a devastatingly effective job as European Chief Negotiator on behalf of the union in Brexit talks, or the acerbic Guy Verhofstadt, Chief Brexit Co-ordinator for the European Parliament, who never misses an opportunity to tweet cheap pot shots at Theresa May and the UK negotiating team, Juncker actually comes across as a warm, jovial character who always has a twinkle in his eye. He describes the beleaguered Theresa May as “a good friend” and always ends his verbal duels with Nigel Farage with a solid handshake and roaring laughter (and even a good-natured arm wrestle).

More than anything, Jean-Claude Juncker is soaked in the ambition of the European project through and through.

Photo: FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images

Sitting down for an exclusive interview with the editor-in-chief of upday France, Bertrand de Volontat, Jean-Claude Juncker candidly talks of the challenges of rising nationalism, increasing levels of Euroscepticism – and why Brexit should serve a continental wake-up call.

Bertrand de Volontat : Do you feel that you’ll be leaving the EU in a better overall situation at the end of your 4/5 years at the head of the Commission? What are the achievements you’re most proud of? Do you ever regret accepting this position?

Jean-Claude Junker : When I took up office as president of the European Commission, I said that this was our last chance to show Europeans that the union works for them. Today, support for the EU is at its highest level in 27 years, while trust in the EU is higher in all Member States than trust in national parliaments and governments. This gives me reason for optimism.

More so because we have recently borne witness to some of the most severe challenges the EU has faced since its inception. From fighting the euro crisis to managing migration, the European Union has proved more resistant than the predictions of the doomsayers.

Take Greece as an example, a country now firmly in its rightful place at the beating heart of Europe and the euro. This was far from a given. Economic growth has rebounded from -5.5% in 2010 to 1.9% in 2018; growth is expected to continue by more than 2% in the coming years; more than 200,000 new jobs have been created since the start of the stability support programme in 2015; although still too high, youth unemployment has declined from almost 52% in March 2015 to 39.5% in December 2018. We could have lost the support of Europe’s citizens as a result of these crises, but we did not. That is a good enough sign for me that we have been doing something right.

Today 240 million people are at work – more than ever before. We have shown that the EU budget can leverage 390 billion euro in investments, benefitting hundreds of thousands of small businesses all over Europe and creating 750,000 jobs. We have put an end to roaming charges for all travellers in the EU.

Our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which entered into application last year, safeguards our citizens’ fundamental right to data protection.

Since November 2014, we have cemented the European Union at the centre of free and fair international trade, exporting our standards to the world through major trading partnerships. Take Japan for example: our agreement corresponds to nearly a third of global GDP and is expected to increase EU exports by €13 billion per year, creating 800,000 jobs throughout our union. I am proud of what we have achieved together for our citizens.

And no, I do not regret accepting the post for a second. For me, Europe is the love of my life. As head of the European Commission, I had the unique chance to defend the common European interest and drive forward proposals that benefit our 500 million citizens. I could not think of a better job to have.

These European elections seem to be getting more media coverage, more overall importance and more public attention than in 2014. Do you share this feeling and why?

Every European election gets more coverage and visibility than the one before. This is a good thing and it shows European democracy is getting healthier. When I was candidate at this point five years ago, I travelled across Europe meeting people. It made me fall in love with Europe all over again and it gave me a renewed determination and sense of purpose. I hope the same thing is happening for all of the candidates in this election. We need a competition of European ideas.

There is certainly a lot of noise this time round. This is partly down to the two largest parties being further apart than before. And it is also down to more nationalist and populist rhetoric which I believe all pro-Europeans need to confront. To get things done in Europe, you need to be able to work together. This is what is at stake in these elections.

All elections are important. And when Europeans vote in the European Parliament elections, they do so in the biggest transnational democratic process in the world. Ours is a parliament that represents the voices of 500 million people. The significance of this has not changed.

Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

How hard is Brexit hurting the EU and Europe? Is the EU showing weakness in front of this situation? Also, will this really end in October?

The decision by the UK to leave the EU is something that I deeply regret. Brexit was a warning shot, a continental wake-up call. However, despite the vote, support for the EU has risen since the Brexit vote in 2016. It has become clear to citizens that the EU cannot be taken for granted and that leaving has disastrous consequences.

On the second question, I would say quite the reverse. The 27 Member States have remained steadfast in their unity – especially when it comes to their consistent defence of the inseparability of the EU’s four freedoms, and in their support for the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with Prime Minister May.

When will we see a final outcome to this process with the UK? This is a matter for them to decide. The best deal is already on the table: the Withdrawal agreement negotiated over 18 months and unanimously supported by the 27 member states and Prime Minister May’s government.

What is the problem eating away at the heart of the EU that prevent it from finding its true self, its true unity, 25 years after its birth?

There is a growing nonchalance with which xenophobic sentiments are expressed in political discourse, a certain disrespect towards those who seek peace in Europe, and this worries me. This constitutes a threat to the values on which our union was founded.

But the history of crises on this continent has taught us that our strength is in our unity, that we are far greater than the sum of our parts.

Is the populist wave cyclical and ephemeral or are we at the edge of decades of rise of populism and nationalism? Can it get worse? Are you surprised by this rise in so many democratic countries in Europe?

Nearly 70% of Europeans say they are concerned about the rise of parties protesting against the traditional political elites. I do believe common sense will prevail. Of course, it can get worse. I need not recall that the ideas spurted by nationalists and populists today are the very same that plunged us into war before Europe’s leaders found peace in looking outwards towards one another and not inwards. The danger is that we forget this.

Does it make sense to be a Eurosceptic in 2019?

You’re asking the wrong person. For me it has never made sense to be a Eurosceptic. To see the European Union as part of the problem rather than the solution – I cannot accept this, especially not after 60 years of peace between our member states. But I do believe that there is an important difference to be made between the Eurosceptics, who have legitimate questions about the European Union which directly elected politicians must answer, and the populists and nationalists who want to destroy Europe and who reject any form of being different. I believe we must firmly fight stupid nationalism. Those who run after populists, see voters only from behind.

Photo: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

On what topics should the EU focus its attention now? What are the top priorities, especially for your successor?

The duty of every EU leader is to leave behind a better union for those who follow, to uphold the EU’s promises of peace, progress and prosperity for every EU citizen, and to adapt to challenges as they arise. In doing so, we must listen to what our citizens want. We have held nearly 1,700 conversations with nearly 200,000 citizens from all over Europe. They are interested in circular and digital economies and in new methods of democratic participation. They want a Europe that is competitive, fair and protective, fully playing its role in the world, notably when it comes to the fight against climate change and for the protection of the environment. It is up to my successor to heed their calls.

On the environment issue, how can the EU win (quickly)? Are we doing enough?

Without the European Union, there would have been no agreement in Paris. Now we must match our ambition with action. This means speeding up the global clean energy transition, more investment, and the financial sector playing its part. Today, three out of the top five biggest clean tech companies in the world are European – it shows that despite the challenge climate change presents, there are also business opportunities to gain and the EU is a global leader.

That being said, regardless of what the EU does there will be no winners if some refuse to recognise that our planet needs protecting. We cannot, for example, claim any sort of victory if we do not address the risk of social inequality as we make the necessary changes to our energy consumption, particularly in coal and carbon-intensive regions. And if we fail to address the overuse of natural resources, deforestation and the degradation of our ecosystems, we will never be doing enough.

What are your projects after your term?

I am looking forward to rediscovering my passion and my love for writing.

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