EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: This is not the beginning of the end of the EU

Daniel Biskup

Germany's leading newspaper, BILD, has published an exclusive interview with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

He will be the central figure in Europe to negotiate the exit of Great Britain from the EU. Publishing Director BILD, Kai Diekmann, and EU Correspondent Dirk Hoeren met Juncker at Berlaymont, the Headquarter of the European Commission.

In partnership with Bild, Business Insider has published an English translation below.

BILD: President Juncker, the catastrophe has happened. The British have decided by a majority vote to leave the EU. Is this the beginning of the end of the EU?

Juncker: Definitely not. The European Union has decades of experience in overcoming crises and has always emerged stronger after. I am, however, deeply saddened by this vote by the British electorate. But I respect their decision. What is crucial now is that we focus very precisely on what Europe can do for people: stimulate investment, create jobs and together ensure the safety and security of our citizens.

The European family may well be anything but perfect. But it is the best thing that we have for bringing the countries of Europe around the same table and for forging compromises so that people here can live in peace, freedom and prosperity. In a world which is growing closer together all the time, we can only survive and influence the rules if we join forces. We will miss the presence of the United Kingdom at this table.

BILD: What was the key factor in the defeat of the EU supporters?

Juncker: With hindsight, it is always easy to blame everyone else. The usual reflex is for the finger to be pointed at Brussels. Yet in this case, that is completely wrong: the referendum was called by the British Prime Minister and not by the European Parliament, the Commission or the European Council.

Here in Brussels, we did everything to accommodate David Cameron‘s concerns. My collaborators and I personally spent countless days and nights negotiating an agreement that was fair toward the United Kingdom and toward the other 27 Member States. I was then very surprised to see that this settlement played no role whatsoever in the campaign in the United Kingdom. At the same time it is hardly surprising. If someone complains about Europe from Monday to Saturday then nobody is going to believe him on Sunday when he says he is a convinced European.Daniel BiskupBILD: How will you now deal with the British – will they receive a special status or will they be treated like any other third country?

Juncker: Out means out. The EU Treaties are clear on this matter. Article 50 governs the exit from the European Union and here there can also be no renegotiation. Now it is firstly a matter of a clean divorce, because citizens and companies need legal certainty. Can there be a new partnership with the United Kingdom one day? All 27 Member States would have to agree to that. And the United Kingdom would first have to reflect on what it wants itself. There will certainly be no cherry-picking. 

BILD: How quickly will the separation happen and how will it work? 

Juncker: The will of the British people must now be put into effect as quickly as possible. Under Article 50 of the EU Treaty the UK must leave the European Union within two years at the latest. Between now and then, after 43 years of European marriage, the whole body of legislation will therefore have to be disentangled. That entails a whole range of specific and very complex questions: what will be the future legal status of the millions of EU citizens in the UK and the millions of Britons on the continent? How will the exit affect thousands of British pensioners living in Portugal or Spain who will lose their access to the welfare and health systems? Fifty-three free-trade agreements, which were negotiated by the EU on behalf of all Member States, are also hanging in the balance for the UK. 

BILD: Will UK Commissioner Hill remain in office?

Juncker: First and foremost that is something that Lord Hill, an experienced politician for whom I have great respect as, will have to decide.

Daniel BiskupBILD:  Do you expect British MEPs to step down?

Juncker: Members of the European Parliament are elected until the end of the parliamentary term, in other words until the end of May 2019. They will retain their rights and obligations until the UK leaves the EU. However, I note that many British MEPs belonging to the UK Independence Party (UKIP) have used all their time in Parliament to work against the institution of which they are members. I would not presume to advise them on what they should or should not do. However, since the UK could not leave the EU fast enough as far as they were concerned, I can imagine that they will not stay any longer than they have to. It will certainly be more difficult for the other British MEPs to say goodbye. We will miss the expertise of many outstanding British politicians in Parliament.

BILD:  What are you going to do as Commission President with the thousand or so EU officials from the UK – will they have to go?

Juncker: The outcome of the referendum does not affect those of my officials who have British nationality, since they work for Europe and not for the UK. They have made a major contribution to our common European project, and I will continue to count on their talent and commitment.

BILD: Opponents of the EU in other Member States will also be buoyed by the result. Are you concerned about other referendums being held?

Juncker: Of course that cannot be ruled out, since populists never miss an opportunity to create a lot of noise about their anti-Europe stance. However, the repercussions of the British referendum could quickly put a stop to such crass rabble-rousing, as it should soon become clear that the UK was better off inside the EU – economically, socially and in foreign policy terms.

Daniel BiskupBILD: Hitherto the EU has reacted to crises by calling for even more Europe. Will you now take a step back – do we need less Brussels in the EU?

Juncker: It is not more Europe or less Europe that we need. We need a better Europe. Since it took up office, the Commission which I lead has pursued a clear policy: we need less interference from Brussels when it comes to the things that Member States can deal with better on their own. That is why we no longer regulate oil cans or showerheads, but concentrate instead on what we can do better together rather than alone – such as tackling the refugee crisis or securing our external borders. Only in that way can we make people feel that Europe makes a tangible difference.

BILD:  The ‘Yes’ to Brexit was also a clear ‘No’ from the citizens to current EU policies. What lessons must the EU learn from this vote of no confidence?

Juncker: From the very beginning Europe has been not only a success story but also a story of success achieved by learning. We must also take this opportunity to learn from the situation, just as we learned from the refugee and debt crises. In those two cases we tackled weaknesses, stepped up protection of our external borders and strengthened our common currency against future crises.

Nevertheless, next Tuesday and Wednesday we will have to have an open and honest discussion in the European Council about how we can address the concerns of people in Europe more effectively and join forces to counteract populist movements.

BILD: What does the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU mean for Germany? Will our role in the EU now be even more important or will we be less influential because we have lost an important supporter?

Juncker: Germany will continue to play a central – perhaps even a more important – role in the European Union. I think that we will all miss the pragmatic approach of the British, however, particularly in those long nights of negotiation. With their charm and legendary sense of humor, the British directly or indirectly paved the way for a large number of European compromises.

BILD: How will the EU now change? Will it become more southern or less market-oriented?

Juncker: There can be no doubt that, with the United Kingdom, we will lose a very market-oriented voice.

Daniel BiskupBILD: Will the axis of power now run from Paris to Rome to Madrid?

Juncker: In the same way that the EU was not dominated by the United Kingdom in the past, it will not be led by a different trio in the future. The good thing about the European Union is that the joint project ultimately benefits all Member States and not just a few. 

BILD: You are the first Commission President to have an important Member State leave during their term in office. Do you feel personally responsible?

Juncker: As a human being I am personally saddened, as I have a great deal of respect for the large number of British colleagues I have worked with over the years. That is why I personally invested countless hours, days and nights, in negotiating a fair deal for the United Kingdom. And I have changed the focus of the work of my Commission so that we no longer concern ourselves with trivial details and concentrate on the key issues instead. By doing that, we met a large number of the legitimate demands made by the British people. The Commission really did do everything it could to create the conditions for a positive campaign.

BILD: Have you considered resigning?

Juncker: No. Never.

BILD: In the weeks before the referendum, EU leaders went along with London‘s request for no public statements to be made. Was it a mistake not to get more involved in the debate in the United Kingdom?

Juncker: Much as I would have liked to respond factually and truthfully to each and every piece of misinformation spread by the Brexit campaign, it was important that I stayed out of the domestic political debate. It was David Cameron’s task to win the UK referendum, not ours. 

BILD:  Is Prime Minister Cameron to blame for the disaster because he was often critical of the EU but still campaigned for Remain?

Juncker: That will be for the historians to judge. I prefer to concentrate on my task of leading Europe to the success that our citizens expect. We have to look forwards now because what is at stake is what makes Europe Europe.

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