Quotes from Jose Manuel Barroso

We need open, competitive, market economies... but at the same time with effective regulation and supervision.

Germany is the biggest economy of Europe and we need Germany on board for the economic reforms of Europe, including, of course, the deepening of the internal market, resisting protectionism, and supporting further economic policy coordination.

My mother wanted me to be a professor, because I have several people in my family who are professors at university.

Climate action is central for the future of our planet.

In the age of globalization pooled sovereignty means more power, not less.

Even when governments take the right steps to reform, these can be negatively impacted by events outside their control.

Usually I don't comment on comments of others.

I am a very committed European.

Smart, sustainable, inclusive growth is the key to job-creation and the future prosperity of Europe.

I'll put it frankly - Britain has more influence in China than Norway or Switzerland, with all respect for the other countries.

You have to understand that to have a revolution when you are 18 years old is completely different from normal political leaders who were born in a democracy and will die in a democracy and never to have experienced that change. I have seen that change.

You see in times of crisis that extremist forces, populist forces, have a better ground to oversimplify things and to manipulate feelings. Feelings of fear.

Internal protectionism in Europe would be deadly, really a disaster for European economies.

There's a tendency in many politicians to become inward-looking, more protectionist, more nationalistic and more defensive, in the bad sense of the word.

The dynamic of globalisation in financial and economic terms, but also in geopolitical terms, confronts Europeans with a stark choice: live together, share a common destiny and count in the world; or face the prospect of disunity and decline.

Norway or Switzerland are two marvelous countries, I very much admire, the most advanced countries in the world in fact with great qualities of life.

There is no stability without solidarity and no solidarity without stability.

Governments are not always right.

I very often compare relations between states to relations with people. Sometimes we are nicer to those we don't know well, who are not our friends, than we are to our friends, because with our friends we don't need to be nice all the time.

Let us not forget that the European Community started as a project for peace after the terrible Second World War. And today people take for granted the freedom to travel, to study, to work abroad. And the citizens of one country have almost exactly the same rights as another country.

I'll put it frankly - Britain has more influence in China than Norway or Switzerland, with all respect for the other countries.

Let us not forget that the European Community started as a project for peace after the terrible Second World War. And today people take for granted the freedom to travel, to study, to work abroad. And the citizens of one country have almost exactly the same rights as another country.

Decisions taken by the most democratic institutions in the world are very often wrong.

I believe that Europe without Britain at the heart will be less reform-driven, less open, less international Europe.