Euro für alle: Juncker überrascht mit Forderung zum Ausbau der Eurozone und des Schengenraums

Angesichts von Spaltungstendenzen in Europa hat EU-Kommissionspräsident Jean-Claude Juncker eine Ausweitung der Eurozone und des Schengenraums gefordert. "Wenn wir wollen, dass der Euro unseren Kontinent mehr eint als spaltet, dann sollte er mehr sein, als die Währung einer ausgewählten Ländergruppe", sagte der Luxemburger Christdemokrat am Mittwoch vor dem Europaparlament in Straßburg. Der Euro sei dazu bestimmt, die "einheitliche Währung der Europäischen Union als Ganzes zu sein".

Juncker: No à la carte Access to Single Market | DW News

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has warned of the dangers of populism during his annual state of the union speech. He also said Britain would not be granted ‘à la carte’ access to the single market after voting to leave the EU.

Juncker zu Grenzkontrollen: "Ohne Reisefreiheit ist der Euro sinnlos"

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Reisende in der EU müssen immer häufiger ihre Pässe vorzeigen - die Kontrollen an den Grenzen kehren zurück. Jetzt stemmt sich EU-Kommissionspräsident Juncker dagegen: "Wer Schengen killt, wird den Binnenmarkt zu Grabe tragen."

Noch immer versuchen Tausende Flüchtlinge am Tag, die Europäische Union zu erreichen. Deshalb haben eine Reihe von EU-Staaten an ihren Grenzen wieder Kontrollen eingeführt - die im Schengenraum eigentlich nur in Ausnahmefällen und für kurze Zeit vorgesehen sind. EU-Kommissionspräsident Jean-Claude Juncker hat nun vor den Folgen für den Euroraum gewarnt. "Ohne Reisefreiheit ist der Euro sinnlos", sagte er am Freitag in Brüssel. » | vek/Reuters/AFP | Freitag, 15. Januar 2016

'Anglo-Saxons' Would Rip Europe Apart after a Grexit, Says Juncker

Juncker: "We should make sure that everyone understands
that the economic and monetary union is irreversible"

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Commission president says Grexit exposes the euro to huge danger as capitalist forces would try to dismantle the EU "piece by piece"

The president of the European Commission has risked angering Britain after comments warning that the "Anglo-Saxon world" would seek to dismantle the European project if Greece was ever allowed to leave the single currency.

Speaking to an audience at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, Jean-Claude Juncker said a "Grexit" would leave the euro prey to forces who "would do everything to try to decompose" what remained of the monetary union.

“Grexit is not an option," said Mr Juncker.

"If we were to accept, if Greece were to accept, if others were to accept that Greece could leave the area of solidarity and prosperity that is the eurozone, we would put ourselves at risk because some, notably in the Anglo Saxon world, would try everything to deconstruct the euro area piece by piece, little by little."

A spokeswoman for Mr Juncker said the reference to the Anglo-Saxon world could be "understood in the sense of the markets and speculators," rather than a reference to Britain specifically. » | Mehreen Khan | Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Schuldenkrise in der EU: Juncker warnt vor Zerfall der Euro-Zone

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG: "Keine Zeit mehr zu verlieren": Der Vorsitzende der Euro-Gruppe sieht einen entscheidenden Punkt der Schuldenkrise gekommen. Jean-Claude Juncker unterstützt Pläne von EZB-Chef Draghi zum Ankauf von Staatsanleihen - und gibt Deutschland eine Mitschuld an der Krise. Berlin behandle die Euro-Zone "wie eine Filiale". Auch "Geschwätz über den Austritt Griechenlands" sei nicht hilfreich.

Luxemburgs Premier Jean-Claude Juncker warnt vor dem Zerfall der Währungsunion. "Wir sind an einem entscheidenden Punkt angekommen", sagte Juncker der Süddeutschen Zeitung. "Die Welt redet darüber, ob es die Euro-Zone in einigen Monaten noch gibt." Um den Euro zu retten, sei "keine Zeit mehr zu verlieren", fügte der Vorsitzende der Euro-Gruppe, des mächtigen Gremiums der 17 Euro-Finanzminister, hinzu. "Wir müssen jetzt mit allen verfügbaren Mitteln überaus deutlich machen, dass wir fest entschlossen sind, die Finanzstabilität der Währungsgemeinschaft zu gewährleisten." » | Von Cerstin Gammelin und Stefan Kornelius | Sonntag, 29. Juli 2012

Europe Worried About Crisis Impact
eKATHIMERINI: Lagarde, Juncker express solidarity to Greek people

The serious possibility of the crisis expanding to Spain and of a possible Greek exit from the eurozone depending in the outcome of the June 17 election, that Moody’s warned would see a downgrade for the bloc’s countries with the top credit rating, have generated huge worries among European officials.

In this context the French head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, stressed in Saturday’s edition of German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung the lack of a long-term vision in Europe.

The IMF managing director also spoke in favor of a European banking watchdog, of common guarantees for bank deposits, and of a so-called “debt repayment accord” as proposed by German experts, while expressing her confidence that Greece will overcome the crisis.

Lagarde reiterated that what she said last month in an interview to The Guardian newspaper was misunderstood: “I said that I feel great respect for the sacrifices the Greek people are making to overcome the crisis. I also said that I am sorry that my observations [about Niger] were misunderstood and hurt some people’s feelings. That was not my intention.

“In the last few years we support Athens very warmly and we are aware of the difficulties Greece has been going through. We continue to believe that the country will get over the crisis and have a better future, when all parties involved take the appropriate measures as they are supposed to. I assure you that the IMF, just like myself, are fully supporting Greece.” » | ekathimerini.com | Saturday, June 09, 2012

Juncker: The Future of Europe, Van Rompuy, Greece's Economic Situation, and the UK Joining the Euro

Authorities Lose Patience with Collapsing Dollar
THE TELEGRAPH: Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU's 'Mr Euro', has given the clearest warning to date that the world authorities may take action to halt the collapse of the dollar and undercut commodity speculation by hedge funds.

Momentum traders have blithely ignored last week's accord by the G7 powers, which described "sharp fluctuations in major currencies" as a threat to economic and financial stability. The euro has surged to fresh records this week, touching $1.5982 against the dollar and £0.8098 against sterling yesterday.

"I don't have the impression that financial markets and other actors have correctly and entirely understood the message of the G7 meeting," he said.

Mr Juncker, who doubles as Luxembourg premier and chair of eurozone financiers, told the Luxembourg press that he had been invited to the White House last week just before the G7 at the urgent request of President George Bush. The two leaders discussed the dangers of rising "protectionism" in Europe. Mr Juncker warned that matters could get out of hand unless America took steps to halt the slide in the dollar.

World central banks last intervened eight years ago - with mixed success - buying euros in September 2000 to support the fledgling currency through its worst crisis.

David Woo, currency chief at Barclays Capital, said the Europeans and Americans are talking past each other. Whatever the G7 wording, Washington is happy to watch the dollar slide. "They are not going to worry unless there is a knock-on effect on US equity or bond prices. So far that hasn't happened. There are no signs that the dollar decline has turned disorderly," he said.

European industry has managed to live with the high euro so far, but the damage of major currency shifts can take years to surface. "The moment will come where the exchange rate level will start to cause serious harm to the European economy," said Mr Juncker. Authorities Lose Patience with Collapsing Dollar >>> By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | April 18, 2008

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