United Stronger EuropeEuropeEuropeUnitedStrong OpenUnited OpenOpen StrongerUnitedStrong Stronger UnitedEurope Europe OpenStronger StrongerOpenUnited UnitedStrongerOpen Europe Stronger StrongerOpenUnited European Commission 2010-2014 A Record of Achievements RoA_A4.indd 1 25/04/2014 11:38:14 European Commission 2010-2014 A Record of Achievements European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications 1049 Brussels BELGIUM Manuscript completed in April 2014 Photographs: © European Union unless otherwise indicated The first picture of the college (taken on 18th December 2013 in front of the College meeting room in Brussels) reflects the composition of the European Commission at this point in time. During this mandate, Commissioner Borg (MT) replaced Commissioner Dalli on 28th November 2012, and Commissioner Mimica (HR) joined at the time of Croatian accession to the European Union on 1st July 2013. The last picture is the College in its meeting room in Strasbourg. 66 pp. - 21 x 29.7cm ISBN 978-92-79-37457-9 doi:10.2775/37809 © European Union, 2014. European Commission Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. 2010-2014 2 RoA_A4.indd 2 25/04/2014 11:38:14 European Commission 2010-2014 1 RoA_A4.indd 1 25/04/2014 11:38:16 José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton, (Portugal) Vice-President and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (United Kingdom) Viviane Reding, Joaquín Almunia, Vice-President and Vice-President and Commissioner for Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Competition Policy Rights and Citizenship (Spain) (Luxembourg) Siim Kallas, Neelie Kroes, Vice-President and Vice-President and Commissioner for Commissioner for the Mobility and Digital Agenda Transport (The Netherlands) (Estonia) Maroš Šefčovič, Antonio Tajani, Vice-President and Vice-President and Commissioner for Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Industry and relations and Entrepreneurship Administration (Italy) (Slovakia) Olli Rehn, Vice-President and Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Environment Affairs and the Euro (Slovenia) (Finland) Michel Barnier, Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Commissioner for Internal Market and Development Services (Latvia) (France) Androulla Vassiliou, Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Commissioner for Education, Culture, Taxation, Customs, Multilingualism and Statistics, Audit and Youth Anti-Fraud (Cyprus) (Lithuania) 2 RoA_A4.indd 2 25/04/2014 11:38:42 Máire Karel De Gucht, Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Commissioner for Trade Research, Innovation (Belgium) and Science (Ireland) Janusz Lewandowski, Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Commissioner for Financial Programming Maritime Affairs and and Budget Fisheries (Poland) (Greece) Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for Günther Oettinger, International Coopera- Commissioner for tion, Humanitarian Aid Energy and Crisis Response (Germany) (Bulgaria) Johannes Hahn, Connie Hedegaard, Commissioner for Commissioner for Regional Policy Climate Action (Austria) (Denmark) Štefan Füle, László Andor, Commissioner for Commissioner for Enlargement and Employment, Social European Neighbour- Affairs and Inclusion hood Policy (Hungary) (Czech Republic) Dacian Cioloş, Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Home Affairs Development (Sweden) (Romania) Tonio Borg, Neven Mimica, Commissioner for Commissioner for Health Consumer Policy (Malta) (Croatia) 3 RoA_A4.indd 3 25/04/2014 11:39:04 4 RoA_A4.indd 4 25/04/2014 11:39:04 JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO President, European Commission A United, Open and Stronger Europe “When you find yourself in a storm, the only way out is to stay true to your course. The one thing you don’t do is change direction.” (Jean Monnet) Europe has witnessed an unprecedented period and across the world as a means of growth, and of change in the five years since this European we maintained our commitments to developing Commission took office. The financial crisis countries; “stronger”, because the necessary evolved into a sovereign debt crisis, an economic economic reforms are now being implemented crisis and a social crisis, tearing down barriers across Europe and our economic governance has between European and national politics. been reinforced, in particular in the Euro area, to make Europe’s economies fitter for globalisation. In this time of change, business as usual was no longer an option. If the five years before the In doing so, we have built on what is unique start of this Commission were defined by con- about the European Union. Europe is about val- stitutional issues that were formally settled by ues. Values like peace, our founding principle, for the introduction of the Lisbon Treaty, then these which we were awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace 5 years have been shaped by the threat of the Prize. Values like unity and diversity, a source of financial and sovereign debt crisis. In the face strength to be treasured. Values like solidarity, of these challenges, we can all be extremely with our social market economy and our pro- proud that we have kept Europe united, open tection of Europeans less fortunate. These val- and made it stronger for the future. ues have guided our work. The EU is more than an economic project. It is a political one. It is a “United”, because we managed to keep Europe community of culture and of shared values and together and even enlarge it despite the pres- interests essential to forge a common destiny. sures exerted on our countries; “open”, because we engaged with our international partners through the G20 to define a global response, we kept promoting trade within the European Union 5 RoA_A4.indd 5 25/04/2014 11:39:07 RESPONDING TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND PREPARING THE CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND JOBS The European Commission has worked tirelessly have used all the means at our disposal to keep to avoid a collapse of Europe’s economies. people in jobs and help those out of work to get The lack of regulation and oversight of the back into the labour market, giving special atten- financial markets allowed speculation and credit tion to the acute problem of youth unemployment. bubbles to emerge. The subsequent aftershock We have agreed a new EU budget which focuses revealed that many of Europe’s Member States on investments that help Member States, regions, were living beyond their means and lacked companies and people. And to boost growth and competitiveness. And whilst our economies were create jobs further, we have opened up new mar- deeply interdependent, we lacked the strong kets across our continent by further developing governance framework to prevent unsound the Single Market and defending its four free- policies or to handle the crisis when it hit. Over doms, and across the world by pursuing ambitious the past 5 years, the Commission has been a global trade deals. driving force behind the initiatives to put this right. Beyond the immediate crisis management, we Today, Europe is protecting citizens and taxpay- have developed a long term plan to modern- ers through necessary stronger regulation that ise Europe’s economies. Our Europe 2020 strat- guarantees savings, makes banks more respon- egy sets realistic but ambitious targets to return sible and limits bankers’ risk-taking. We brought Europe to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. fairness back into the system. And we have The new EU budget seeks to enhance competitive- taken the decisive step – unthinkable before the ness through greater focus on research, innovation crisis – to create a Banking Union. As a result, and infrastructure, with special attention given to the financial sector is now more regulated; and connect Europe in transport, energy and digital financial regulators are now better equipped to sectors. We have built on the climate and energy supervise our banks; to deal with difficult eco- goals for 2020 which were agreed under the pre- nomic developments; and to protect your savings. vious Commission to set out a framework for 2030. Competitiveness, sustainability and security We have put in place a system of collective eco- of supply are at the core of our climate and energy nomic and budgetary governance at EU level that policies. On top of that, in our Blueprint, we have ensures that all governments put and keep their set out a clear vision on how to complete the Eco- public finances in order and that the necessary nomic and Monetary Union. reforms are undertaken to make and keep our economies competitive. We have come together to Jean Monnet said: “I have always thought that create a mechanism that provides loans to those Europe would be forged in crisis.” We have proven countries that are under most pressure from the him right and the doubters wrong. We have shown markets. The euro has come out of this crisis even what can be achieved when EU Institutions and stronger, gaining rather than losing members. We Member States work together. Responding to the global financial crisis at the G8 at Camp David in 2012, round table: Angela Merkel, Herman van Rompuy, José Manuel Barroso, Yoshihiko Noda, Mario Monti, Stephen Harper, François Hollande, Barack Obama, David Cameron (from behind), Dmitry Medvedev (from behind), (in 6 a clockwise direction starting from the left). RoA_A4.indd 6 25/04/2014 11:39:09 José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, with students in Poland (2011). WORKING FOR