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20 January 2014

Hollande/Rutte call for deepening of Single Market


French President François Hollande issued a joint declaration with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in which the two leaders stressed "the importance of deepening the Single Market in order to stimulate growth and employment for the benefit of consumers and businesses".

Partially translated from the French

As reported by DutchNews.nl, the French president François Hollande and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte told reporters on Monday they want to strengthen the economic and political links between the two countries. Hollande was on a one-day official visit to the Netherlands – the first time in 14 years a French president has visited the country.

In a joint declaration, the two men said a number of new bilateral initiatives would be a "tangible expression" of the will to deepen the bonds between the two countries. Both countries will "actively contribute to a European Union that is more transparent, simple and efficient" and which is anchored in the democratic controls and values enshrined in Europe, they said. As part of this, the European Banking Union was a priority, the statement said. .

Le Figaro reports that François Hollande's visit to the Netherlands, one of the most liberal European countries, happened just after the new orientation of its policy. Outlined in his New Year address and confirmed in his press conference last week, the "liberal" turning of his quinquennium has been endorsed on Monday in The Hague with the signing of a joint declaration between the two countries. In the declaration, France and the Netherlands "emphasise the importance of deepening the Single Market to boost growth and employment for the benefit of consumers and businesses".

"These are reforms that go in the right direction", said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte during a joint press conference. As he prepares to launch his "responsibility pact", François Hollande for his part praised the culture of compromise that is present in the Netherlands. "This has proven to be a good model", he said. 

Joint declaration (in Dutch)

Joint declaration (in French)





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