Governo, Joint Statement by Ministers Enzo Moavero and David Lidington of the UK

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di redazione

Roma,

22 Ottobre 2012

Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi had a meeting today with David Lidington, his EU affairs counterpart of the United Kingdom.They hailed the progress at the last European Council to restore confidence in the financial markets and to stimulate growth and jobs.They agree it is important to proceed swiftly with the implementation of the Compact for Growth and Jobs decided in June and, more broadly, the deepening of the European Union’s Single Market, as advocated in a letter jointly signed with 11 other EU countries earlier this year and requested by the EU Summit last week.A lot has been achieved to create a single market for citizens, goods and capital in the EU, but 20 years since its launch, in 1993, a single services market has yet to be completed, a big lacunae if we consider that services account for 70% of the bloc’s economic activity. They agree that national energy markets must be fully interconnected by 2014 and a Digital Single Market achieved by 2015, through the deployment of high speed broadband – a key government priority in Italy – and the adoption of common rules on intellectual property rights and on online payments.The two ministers also discussed the EU budgetary proposals for the next seven years. They agree that the EU’s central budget must play a central role in supporting growth and jobs, but given the tough economic climate in all our countries, there is a need to contain the increase in EU spending.