Event in Luxembourg: On energy and mobility, the Benelux wants to cooperate better
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Event in LuxembourgOn energy and mobility, the Benelux wants to cooperate better
BOURGLINSTER – The Prime Ministers of Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium insisted, during a Benelux summit, on their common response to the challenges of the moment.
“The Covid crisis has shown that it is important to work well with your neighbors, to show solidarity with them”, launched Xavier Bettel (DP), Prime Minister, during the Benelux summit, Monday in Bourglinster. “During crises, it is important to say things to each other and to exchange”.
The leaders talked a lot about industrial and energy strategy, the Dutchman Mark Rutte calling for “a common response to the inflation reduction act of the United States”, even if it meant assuming a dose of protectionism. Even if he does not want to “copy the American model too quickly”, because it is necessary “to defend European interests without being naive”. We need “discussions on the attractiveness of our regions, because Europe must have a prospect of attractiveness for industrialists”, underlined Xavier Bettel. “We are a little bit competitive, but above all complementary”, according to his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo. He also recalled that EU economies were “very open” and that it would be “stupid to decree the end of globalisation”.
The Greater Region invited
The head of the Belgian government also mentioned mobility, assuring that “the plans are materializing” for the rail links between his country and Luxembourg. After recalling the very long journey times between Luxembourg and Brussels and listing most of the intermediate stations, Xavier Bettel regretted that his country is located “in the Bermuda triangle” of the international network.
All insisted on the need for a common response to the war in Ukraine. It “made us think about our way of cooperating”, indicated Alexander De Croo, who pleads for “extensive military support”. His Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte pleaded for “joint work, in order to regain control of migratory flows”.
The Benelux summit was extended to the Greater Region, since Jean Rottner, president of the Grand-Est region, and Hendrik Wüst, president of the land of North Rhine-Westphalia, were also invited. “We are in a very special area, with among the largest European institutions”, underlined the Frenchman, calling for the adoption of “common strategies”. The German called for greater openness: “The reflexes to close the borders remain very present to close the borders, whereas the opposite must be done”, he affirmed, as if to underline the general tone of the debates.