EC delivers recommendations

TALLINN - Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said that assessments on Estonia’s analysis by the European Commission is similar to Estonia’s own analysis, when commenting on approved recommendations on EU member states’ budgetary policy and structural reforms on June 24, reports National Broadcasting. “The recommendations approved by the European Council for enhancing economic growth and competitiveness in Estonia deal with areas where we have already planned some changes,” said the head of government.

There are four particular recommendations issued to Estonia by the European Commission, approved by the European Council in Brussels. The recommendations concern achieving budgetary balance, increasing the efficiency of labor market measures, implementing the planned initiatives targeted at energy and resource sustainability and to reform the education sector to comply with the needs of the labor market.

When speaking of the agenda item concerning migration flows, Ansip stated that the principle protection mechanism to react to extraordinary situations threatening cooperation in the Schengen area could only be triggered in exceptional circumstances where external borders are under unexpected and strong pressure, and member states are unable to deal with their obligations regarding the guarding of borders.
“We must not forget that free movement of persons is one of the greatest achievements of European integration,” said the prime minister.

Ansip added that in Estonia’s opinion, more attention needs to be paid to root causes of migration. He welcomed the European Council’s position to form a partnership with EU’s neighboring countries to the south, in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy.