By Martin Banks - 6th November 2009
We have to explain why we all need the EU
José Manuel Barroso
Commission president José Manuel Barroso has urged Britain to remain at the "centre-stage" of Europe following news that the Conservatives would seek to repatriate powers from Brussels.
However, he conceded that in order to achieve such an objective "we have to explain why we all need the EU".
Barroso's comments come in the wake of UK Tory party leader David Cameron's pledge to take back certain powers from Brussels to Westminster if his party wins the country's next general election.
The Tories are favourites to win the election which is expected to be held next May.
Cameron's comments about repatriating powers followed this week's final ratification of the Lisbon treaty which the Tories have always opposed.
The party had promised to hold a referendum on the treaty but have now abandoned that possibility.
Speaking in Brussels, Barroso said, "We need the UK to be remain engaged within the EU."
He sympathised with those, he said, who sometimes "wonder why Britain is so open to the rest of the world, yet sometimes appears so closed to the EU".
"The British are internationalists but it is as much as in Britain's interests that we act together rather than alone as it is the interests of the rest of Europe," Barroso said.
However, he admitted that it was still necessary to "make the case" for the EU.
He said, "We have to explain why we all need the EU and why it is in the UK's interests to have a strong EU.
"The EU can sometimes appear to be very complex. Indeed, it is complex and we have to manage this complexity. But the Lisbon treaty will bring some important innovation in this area.
"I realise it is important people have a sense of engagement and 'ownership' when it comes to the EU and that is a challenge we face."
He added, "However, whoever wins the next election in the UK I am confident we can make progress in this regard."
His comments will be seen by some as a direct appeal to Cameron to modify his approach to the EU.
The former Portuguese prime minister was addressing a debate entitled "An EU fit for purpose in the global age", organised by the Brussels think-tank, Friends of Europe.
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