EU's Juncker sees window of opportunity for reform

The "wind is back in Europe's sails", European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said in his annual state of the union address.

He told the European Parliament there was a "window of opportunity" to build a stronger, more united union - but it "wouldn't stay open forever".

Mr Juncker said Europe's economy was "bouncing back" and the EU had to move beyond Brexit.

He called for the union to embrace reforms and forge new trade deals.

Mr Juncker argued that recent existential threats to the European Union - posed by Brexit, the migrant crisis and the rise of populism - had receded.

Addressing the UK on its decision to leave the EU on 29 March 2019, he said that "we will always regret this, and I think you will regret this too, soon". "We will move on because Brexit isn't everything. It isn't the future of Europe - it's not the be all and end all." He called for a summit in Romania on 30 March 2019 for decisions to be taken on a "more united, stronger and democratic Europe".

While last year it had been plain to see the EU was "battered and bruised", he said, now the union was "slowly but surely gathering momentum".

The state of the union address gives the Commission president a chance to outline the political objectives of the EU executive for the immediate future and announce new policies.

Mr Juncker looked forward to a European Union beyond Brexit where membership of the banking union, eurozone and the Schengen border-free zone would be standard.

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