The First Speech of the Netherlands' King at the European Parliament

On the occasion of the Dutch EU Presidency, King Willem – Alexander of the Netherlands had a speech at the European Parliament reunited in the plenary section in Brussels on the 25th of May. This was the first speech he has delivered at the European Parliament since his accession to the throne in April 2013. 

The King started his speech remembering the terrorist attacks happened in Brussels two months ago, and then he talked also about the refugees’ emergency that is afflicting the EU. He spoke about the importance of European cooperation and, speaking about identity and solidarity, he said he belonged to the first generation of Europeans who enjoyed the fortune of peace and expressed the hope future generations would have this opportunity too.

Furthermore he asserted the idea that the EU is an important tool to reach the hoped goals and that an interaction between the Union and the Member States is necessary, affirming “Achievements have rarely purely national origin”. At the same time the King stressed the necessity that the citizens of the European Union can feel at home in the European Union institutions, saying that the EU cannot be an elite project, but it has to be available to all.

Previously he had spoken with the Parliament President Martin Schulz and the group chairman, and after his speech he met Dutch MEPs. The visit concluded with a meeting with the staff of the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the European Union and with the employees of the Dutch Embassy in Belgium in the building of the Permanent Representation.