Two-speed Europe, Pittella: I don’t trust good intentions but I’m open to discussion

Brussels – Prudence. Gianni Pittella is following very closely the heated discussion concerning a “two-speed Europe”.

The president of the S&D Group in the European Parliament in an interview with the Italian newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale expressed some reservations about the proposal made by Italy, Benelux, Holland and France in view of the 2017 celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which many hope will be an occasion for ‘rebooting’ the Union. “If the hidden aim of this proposal is to divide Europe between the pure people of the north and the sinners of the south, we will oppose it with all our strengths. It would be as grave a threat as that of the populist and sovereignist movements”, he cautioned.

However, according to Pittella, “it would be a different matter if some countries, through the mechanism of enhanced cooperation, decided to carry out joint fiscal policies with a European finance minister, social agenda, defense policy and more integrated security. In this case, it would be an interesting project that should see Italy in the front row”.

Pittella is not entirely opposed to the idea of placing the principle of double speed in the declaration that will be signed in Rome, but he warned: “It depends on what the plan is. I want to wish that behind this proposal there is the constructive desire for greater integration”.