--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Netherlands believes in a vigorous…" description: "\"The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a commission that is independent and robust.\" — Frans Timmermans" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg" --- # The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a… ![“The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a commission that is independent and robust.” quote by Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg) > “The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a commission that is independent and robust.” [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for a strong, independent EU with a robust Commission to drive European integration. **In simple terms:** Supports a powerful EU. Key Takeaway Promote EU unity and institutional strength. Themes Europe integration governance sovereignty Mood optimistic determined Type political policy When to use this quote - Policy debates - EU negotiations - national elections - public speeches Key Concepts Political theory institutional design regionalism Questions to Reflect On - How can the EU balance unity with national diversity? - What risks arise from a too‑centralized Commission? A Different Perspective May overlook member state autonomy concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Netherlands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/netherlands/) ## Related quotes > [Japan, Germany, and India seem to me to have serious writers, readers, and book buyers, but the Netherlands has struck me as the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/japan-germany-and-india-seem-to-me-to-have-serious-writers-readers/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [At 16, I started a web development business and had clients from the Netherlands, Caribbean, and across the country - none of whom knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/at-16-i-started-a-web-development-business-and-had-clients-from-the/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [On this day, so full for Americans of thoughts connected with their National Independence, we may not forget that Americans have yet other grounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-low/on-this-day-so-full-for-americans-of-thoughts-connected-with-their/) [Seth Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-low/) > [Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany have detailed plans to cut their greenhouse emissions by 20 to 50 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/denmark-the-netherlands-and-germany-have-detailed-plans-to-cut-their/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [We need to stop the Islamisation of the Netherlands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/we-need-to-stop-the-islamisation-of-the-netherlands/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I think the Netherlands will become one big city at a point. It is inevitable when you live in a country with so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-jansen/i-think-the-netherlands-will-become-one-big-city-at-a-point-it-is/) [Theo Jansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-jansen/) > [We often forget that Spain controlled big parts of Europe, in Italy and the Netherlands. In the Middle Ages, Spain and Portugal were so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-fisher/we-often-forget-that-spain-controlled-big-parts-of-europe-in-italy/) [Max Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-fisher/) > [Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/playing-football-is-very-simple-but-playing-simple-football-is-the/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [I grew up in a small town in the Netherlands which, for years, had been a center of textile production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/i-grew-up-in-a-small-town-in-the-netherlands-which-for-years-had-been/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [The whole territory of the Netherlands was girt with forests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lothrop-motley/the-whole-territory-of-the-netherlands-was-girt-with-forests/) [John Lothrop Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lothrop-motley/) > [If we don't take effective measures now, the Netherlands could be torn between two extreme rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/if-we-don-t-take-effective-measures-now-the-netherlands-could-be-torn/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Greece is a sort of American vassal; the Netherlands is the country of American bases that grow like tulip bulbs; Cuba is the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/greece-is-a-sort-of-american-vassal-the-netherlands-is-the-country-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The terrorists who committed the 2003 Istanbul attacks were locals, that is, Turks. And when filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/the-terrorists-who-committed-the-2003-istanbul-attacks-were-locals/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) ## More by Frans Timmermans > [The argument that won the Brexit campaign is the one that said take back control... which is another way of saying we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-argument-that-won-the-brexit-campaign-is-the-one-that-said-take/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [If nationalism makes us poor, weak, and morally insecure, how can it claim to be patriotic? I maintain that nationalists are unpatriotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/if-nationalism-makes-us-poor-weak-and-morally-insecure-how-can-it/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Protectionism has never been an answer, will never be an answer. We need trade. We need trade agreements worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/protectionism-has-never-been-an-answer-will-never-be-an-answer-we/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Let's be clear: a nationalist is not a patriot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/let-s-be-clear-a-nationalist-is-not-a-patriot/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [It is a duty for any government to uphold the rule of law, and this sometimes requires the proportionate use of force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/it-is-a-duty-for-any-government-to-uphold-the-rule-of-law-and-this/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Since when is politics consistent?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/since-when-is-politics-consistent/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [This is the game of those who deny climate change or who deny the need for sustainability. They say, 'They are going to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/this-is-the-game-of-those-who-deny-climate-change-or-who-deny-the/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [How many millions of straws do we use every day across Europe? I would have people not use plastic straws any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/how-many-millions-of-straws-do-we-use-every-day-across-europe-i-would/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [What is the issue that has brought the European Union to the brink? The issue of migration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/what-is-the-issue-that-has-brought-the-european-union-to-the-brink/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [For all its shortcomings, European co-operation and integration has created an understanding of shared destiny. We no longer point guns at each other; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/for-all-its-shortcomings-european-co-operation-and-integration-has/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [I want Europe to go forward, not backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/i-want-europe-to-go-forward-not-backward/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Nationalism makes us weak because its eternal seeking of enemies, its disdain of others, its need to feel superior makes cooperation with other nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/nationalism-makes-us-weak-because-its-eternal-seeking-of-enemies-its/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [I think we have a political and moral duty to do everything within our power to maintain the Good Friday Agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/i-think-we-have-a-political-and-moral-duty-to-do-everything-within/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue, and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem because plastic waste ends up in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/plastic-waste-is-undeniably-a-big-issue-and-europeans-need-to-act/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [If the E.U. is to survive... it is based on the fact that for every community that belongs in Europe, there is a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/if-the-e-u-is-to-survive-it-is-based-on-the-fact-that-for-every/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) [Explore all 68 Frans Timmermans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) ## More Europe quotes > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) > [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Conservatism aims to maintain in working order the loyalties of the community to perceived truths and also to those truths which in their judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr-2/conservatism-aims-to-maintain-in-working-order-the-loyalties-of-the/) [William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr-2/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. We feel anti-Semitic hatred in the continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/we-witness-anti-semitic-attacks-in-the-heart-of-europe-we-hear-anti/) [Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/) > [Conservatives are people who look at a tree and feel instinctively that it is more beautiful than anything they can name. But when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/conservatives-are-people-who-look-at-a-tree-and-feel-instinctively/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) [Browse all 7,565 Europe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a commission that is independent and robust.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frans Timmermans" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-europe-with-a-commission-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Europe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-europe-with-a-commission-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/frans-timmermans-9984_europe_the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-e_224835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Netherlands believes in a vigorous Europe with a commission that is independent and robust.” — Frans Timmermans", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frans Timmermans", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Netherlands believes in a vigorous...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-europe-with-a-commission-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/the-netherlands-believes-in-a-vigorous-europe-with-a-commission-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```