EU reveals ‘roadmap’ to regain citizens’ trust

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia

European Union leaders revealed a new plan on Friday to regain the trust of European citizens worried about migration, security and the economy.

Speaking to reporters in the Slovak capital Bratislava after an informal EU summit, European Council President Donald Tusk said millions of Europeans felt insecure.

“People are concerned about what they see as a lack of control, and express fears of migration, terrorism… and, last but not least, about the economic and social future,” he said.

Tusk argued that a new roadmap drafted by his office and backed by EU leaders Friday would guide discussions over the next six months.

“[We would] never to allow a return to uncontrolled refugee flows of last year and to ensure full control of our external borders to get back to Schengen,” he stressed.

“We are determined to continue … cooperation with Turkey and the Western Balkans, but also to establish migration compacts with African countries,” he added.

The four-page Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap identified key priorities and laid down various measures to improve internal and external security, as well as economic and social development in the EU.

EU members pledged “immediate assistance” for Bulgaria to strengthen border patrols along the Turkish frontier to stop irregular refugee flows.

The document proposed the creation of a Travel Information and Authorization System to allow advance checks on travelers coming to Europe, and suggested denying entry to suspect persons when deemed necessary.

It also called for systematic efforts in EU states against radicalization and proposed a more thorough approach to expelling radicals from European countries.

First post-Brexit summit

Friday’s informal summit in the Slovak capital was the first to gather leaders of 27 EU member states without the United Kingdom.

The meeting was to discuss the EU’s future after Brexit and the next steps to regain the confidence of European citizens.

The U.K. vote to leave the EU in June sparked fears in many European capitals over the future of the project, amid an increased public distrust of European institutions and growing support for Eurosceptic parties.

Tusk said the Bratislava summit would be the beginning of a period of reflection. EU leaders are set to meet for another informal summit in Malta's capital Valletta at the beginning of 2017.

The EU’s Rome summit in March next year will be used to round off the process launched in Bratislava.