00:00Good afternoon, everyone, and let me start with a word of thanks to the President of the European Council.
00:05Antonio, it's great to welcome you here in The Hague, concluding your round of visits to all the EU member
00:11states.
00:11And I greatly appreciate your tireless efforts to bring those 27 states closer to consensus
00:18on the multi-annual financial framework of the European Union.
00:22Your dedication reflects a sense of urgency that is felt across Europe in challenging times,
00:28because the world around us is changing fast, and we face major challenges in areas like security, economic resilience, and
00:37prosperity.
00:38And there's one thing we can all agree on.
00:40A strong, effective, and flexible EU is crucial to help us navigate those choppy geopolitical waters.
00:48And that requires an European Union that dares to make choices,
00:52an EU with the courage to innovate, not least as it lays the financial foundations for the next several years.
00:59And that way we can focus on things that make us stronger in those areas where the EU can truly
01:05add value.
01:06An innovative European economy that boosts our earning capacity and can withstand external competition and threats.
01:13A robust defence power so that we can continue supporting Ukraine and meet the threat to our societies,
01:20a threat posed mainly by Russia.
01:24And more resources to help us get migration better under control.
01:28And a key requirement for all of this is rule of law with strong protection of fundamental rights.
01:34And yes, it will cost money.
01:37And the Netherlands is willing to pay a fair contribution, as we've done for many decades.
01:42But a budget rise of over 50% is simply not viable at a time when national budgets are already
01:49under pressure.
01:50We cannot just settle our citizens with high costs unless we offer solutions to today's challenges.
01:56So our message from a Dutch perspective is clear.
02:00There can be no successful negotiation without modernisation.
02:05And we want a budget that is fit for the future and not a blast from the past.
02:09A future, by the way, that is fast approaching.
02:13For example, we are already seeing how European industry is being sorely tested by high energy costs
02:19and unfair competition from outside the EU.
02:23And the EU has always stood for free trade flows.
02:26With the fewest barriers possible.
02:28This has been a basic principle since the birth of the Union
02:31and one that the Netherlands, as an open economy, has always strongly endorsed.
02:37That's why we keep working hard to tap new markets and strengthen ties with more like-minded partners.
02:44Not least so that we can diversify our own dependencies.
02:48But we have to draw the line when our openness is abused.
02:52When the level playing field is disrupted, our earning capacity is undermined and mutual trade access is pulled out of
02:59balance.
03:00And secondly, we now see a number of candidate countries approaching the final phase of their long EU accession process.
03:07And naturally, that presents opportunities.
03:11It will boost our political clout and global competitiveness.
03:14And it will expand the single markets, allowing our businesses to step up their activities for millions more of Europeans.
03:22But it will also impact the EU's efficiency, governance and budget.
03:27And so, in new accession treaties, we will need clear agreements on how new member states join
03:34so that enlargement strengthens the EU rather than weakening it.
03:38So, thank you again for your visit, Antonio.
03:41And I look forward to working with you further on this strong and effective EU at the next European councils.
03:48And we will have plenty in this part of the year.
03:52But before I conclude, one final remark.
03:55Let me state clearly that the Netherlands stands fully behind the ICC and the protection of international law.
04:02And the announced sanctions by the United States against the ICC are deeply regrettable.
04:08At the same time, these sanctions will not take effect immediately.
04:12And this is crucial because it provides us vital space for dialogue in the upcoming months.
04:18Thank you very much.
