Joint statement after the G8 Summit
After the G8 summit, European Commission President Barroso and European Council President Van Rompuy issued a joint statement on the G8 summit outcome saying: "Overall, we are pleased that our ambitions for this summit have been broadly achieved."
The EU actively contributed to the discussion of all items on the agenda.
On the global economy
The two Presidents highlighted in particular the good discussions of the global economy with the other G8 leaders.
"All leaders agreed that our urgent priority is to promote growth and jobs, particularly for the young and long-term unemployed. While recognising that the economic situation had improved since the last G8 summit in Camp David, we all agreed on the need to continue supporting the global recovery by supporting demand, ensuring healthy public finances and implementing structural reforms."
On foreign policy - Syria
"The G8 discussion of foreign policy focused in-depth on the appalling crisis in Syria with tens of thousands of dead and millions of displaced and refugees. We stressed the need to press for a political solution via convening a Geneva II conference as soon as possible and simultaneously address the gravely escalating humanitarian crisis that also threatens regional stability as a matter of urgency."
On trade - TTIP
"Together with US President Barack Obama, we launched the historic negotiations for an unprecedented Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and the United States. A successful conclusion of the negotiations would provide significant economic benefits."
On tax evasion and tax fraud
"All G8 leaders seized and reinforced the momentum in the global fight against tax evasion and tax fraud. The G8 sends a powerful signal that we are ready to take action to make sure that companies and individuals pay the taxes due, including via promoting automatic exchange of information - which is already the EU norm for savings income and by 2015 should apply to all forms of income and account balances - as a global standard and introducing country-by-country reporting by multinational companies to tax authorities."
On transparency
"We also supported the G8's strong call for increased transparency, on land governance, open data and in extractive industries, where the EU has a strong agenda, both in the laws we have put in place and through our support for partner countries."
President Barroso and President Van Rompuy concluded: "We said at the beginning that we were here to promote a fairer world, fairness at home in the G8 countries and fairness for people right around the globe. So we are happy that the G8 has sent a strong signal that the days of impunity for tax evaders are numbered and that we will all work tirelessly to shed more light on how and where our citizens and companies pay their taxes."
European Union at the G8 summit in Lough Erne, UK
17 June 2013
"The EU is coming to this G8 to promote a fairer world. Fairness at home in G8 countries and fairness for people around the globe," said European Commission President Barroso in his press statement ahead of the G8 summit.
At the joint press conference, where he together with European Council President Van Rompuy presented the goals the EU will push for at this summit, he expressed his confidence that "the G8 will provide political impetus for global change towards more global fairness, including for the poorest countries."
"Firstly, the European union wants fairness by further opening trade between free and open economies," said President Barroso. He reiterated that the EU agreed on Friday eve a broad mandate to start negotiations with the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
The President said that this summit is also about fairness in the way taxes are paid by individuals and companies, and "Thirdly, we want fairness through greater transparency on land governance, open data and in extractive industries."
President Barroso also announced that "still today, together with President Obama we will give the go-ahead for the start of negotiations between the United States and the European Union. The European Commission will negotiate on behalf of all our 28 Member States. Our Partnership will be a true game changer for the global economy."
"The European Union has very good story to tell, often pioneering the global agenda in all of the G8 priorities," underlined the President and outlined the examples of the EU has done so far. He said:
- our bilateral trade agreements are a stepping stone towards further liberalising global trade and strengthening the multilateral trading system;
- the EU has agreed far-reaching binding legislation for transparency in extractive industries and forestry;
- the EU passed legislation to further open up public data because it believes that open data means business opportunities and job creation;
- the EU is world’s largest donor for development assistance, with a specific emphasis on food security;
- the EU is driving force behind the new political momentum in the fight against tax evasion and avoidance;
- in Europe and at global level, we want everybody to pay his fair share of taxes in a transparent way;
- the EU has proposed a maximum extension of the scope for the automatic exchange of information among the EU tax authorities;
- the EU is convinced that there is a need to improve tax governance everywhere.
In conclusion President Barroso congratulated the UK G8 presidency for the choice of the venue: Northern Ireland. The summit places on the global stage the efforts of the people and leaders of Northern Ireland – where the peace and financial efforts have been supported by the EU since 1995. "This is a clear signal to the world that peace and reconciliation have returned to this most beautiful and hospitable part of Europe."
Read the President's statement ahead of the G8 summit published on the 17th of June
Video: President Barroso speaking at the EU - US trade meeting
Presidents Barroso and Van Rompuy: joint concluding statement