Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday in a debate with MEPs, he said, “The British have chosen Brexit and we have to respect that decision.
“I am not going to condemn them or criticise them for being wrong in making this decision. And for MEPs and others to tell the UK what to do is to risk pushing them even further away when what we need to do is bring them back to the centre.”
Speaking in Strasbourg, he said, “One of the consequences of Brexit is that people now fear that the EU is not there for them or does not care. What we need to do now is to build a strong social Europe and explain why the EU does matter.
“However, if you think here is another Europhile who thinks everything in the garden is rosy and without problems, I am here to tell you that, no, I am not.”
In the latest in series of such events about Europe’s future, he gave a set-piece speech in front of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who himself served as Prime Minister in Luxembourg for 19 years.
Bettel took part in a Q&A with MEPs and was told by Greens/EFA group co-leader Philippe Lamberts that Luxembourg’s commitment to European integration is undermined by its “aggressive” tax policies.
Lamberts said, “Luxembourg has always declared itself in favour of European integration and there is plenty in its record to vindicate that. It was under the Luxembourg Council presidency that the EU sealed the agreement on the pioneering general data protection regulation.
“Luxembourg has also worked hard to advance equality, in particular for women’s rights, and has given the green transition a prominent place in its public policy. It has even emerged as one of the defenders of the European Commission’s proposals to protect whistleblowers, a welcome change of tune after its unsavoury role in the LuxLeaks scandal.
“But there is one serious problem with this picture - Luxembourg’s opposition to any form of tax harmonisation is unworthy of a country that claims to defend the European project. From the country with the highest per capita income in the Union, Europeans should expect a helping hand, not a clenched fist.”
Heads of state and government from Ireland, Croatia, Portugal and France have already debated MEPs in Strasbourg.
Over the next few months, leaders from the Netherlands, Mark Rutte (June); Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki (July); Greece, Alexis Tsipras (September); and Estonia, Jüri Ratas (October) are scheduled to come.
The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will speak on 23 October, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will appear in November.