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The lack of support to European Union institutions may become a threat to European integration itself, Commission President Jos Manuel Barroso warned in a major speech delivered at Berlin's Humboldt University on the occasion of Europe Day.

Barroso, whose second term as Commission President expires in November, named three gaps in the functioning of the EU. His warning comes two weeks ahead of the European Parliament elections, that will be held across the Union on 22-25 May.

First, he saw a governance gap, because in his words member states on their own no longer have what it takes to deliver what citizens need, while European institutions still lack part of the equipment to do so. He then mentioned a legitimacy gap, because he said citizens perceived that decisions are taken at a level too distant from them.

Third, he said there was an expectations gap, because people expected more than the political system can deliver.

Barroso added that there was no automatic way for the 28 member countries to agree the tools to repair these gaps at European level. He argued for national governments and mainstream parties to show greater political will for EU cooperation.

No treaty change, no institutional engineering can replace the political will for Europe, he said.

Any political project needs a minimum of sustained support, Barroso insisted. Just two weeks from the European elections, the Commission President spoke in critical terms of the centre-left and the centre-right political forces in EU countries, whom he said should leave their comfort zone and confront the growing voices of euroscepticism and even europhobia.

Instead of abandoning the debate to the extremes, mainstream political forces have to recover the initiative and make the case for a positive agenda for Europe, both at the national and the Union level, Barroso said.

He regretted that in many cases, the mainstream forces had internalised populist arguments rather than countering them. He provided no details, but the episode in which he attacked the British Conservatives who he said were looking like UKIP, the Eurosceptic party of Nigel Farage which according to polls is likely to win the EU elections is still vivid [read more].

Barroso described the essence of the European project comparing it with the digits normally used to describe the evolution of internet.

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Barroso warns of declining support for EU ahead of election

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European Union seeks huge rigging fines, John Kerry: US-Europe missile defense on track the US is losing it #39;s advantage with spying because of being disorganized and unfocused kinda like...

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Pro-Russia supporters take part in a hand vote during a rally outside the regional police building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Horlivka (Gorlovka), near Donetsk

"Such a vote could have no democratic legitimacy and would only further worsen the situation," a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy Catherine Ashton said.

"Any such type of referendum is not something that we can support," said Maja Kocijancic. "We believe that such referendums should not take place and we fully support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and independence."

Rebel leaders in the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic as well as the towns of Slavyansk and Lugansk said they would push ahead with the referendums on Sunday despite a call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to delay them.

"We take good note of President Putin's remarks," Kocijancic said, describing them as "a step that could help de-escalation" but adding that the EU "will see whether words are followed by deeds".

EU foreign ministers gather in Brussels on Monday, a day after the referendums, and could decide to impose more sanctions on Russians and Ukrainians held to be involved in fostering instability in the area.

Ambassadors from the 28 EU nations on Wednesday agreed in principle to expand the legal criteria for targeting people or entities over the crisis.

EU diplomatic sources said one area of concern was Crimea where in recent days there had been reports of companies being taken over following the region's annexation by Russia.

"We do think this is expropriation, confiscation, so we think there is some merit in sanctions" being cast wider, one source said.

An asset freeze, the most likely measure to be imposed on a company, would certainly have some deterrent effect on others, the source added.

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European Union Says East Ukraine Vote Will 'Only Worsen' Crisis

Photo Courtesy: Associated Press

In this Tuesday, May 6, 2014 photo, a vendor displays Alphonso mangoes at a whole sale market in Mumbai.

"The situation is very simple. A bunch of files regarding problems relating to quality control of the fruit were found during the inspection by a team that had come in 2010 to check the export process. So warnings were issued.

"In 2013, a regular follow-up inspection was carried out and they were told to put in some mechanism in next 6-8 months but that did not happen till this February," European Union envoy Joao Cravinho said in Mumbai.

Cravinho was addressing an event on 'business opportunities in the EU', organised by the industry lobby group All-India Association of Industries.

He, however, was quick to add that "the EU does not want to ban Indian mangoes. This is a temporary ban and I expect there will be a revision of the situation in 2015. But there can be a review of the situation before that as well if the changes are put in place."

Cravinho said the controversy following the ban was outcome of general elections in India and the EU Parliamentary polls.

"The controversy surrounding the ban has more to do with politics than the trade. 90 per cent of the controversy is related to the fact that you are in the election mode here.

The European Parliament elections have also played some role," Cravinho said.

He said the ban was not a big issue in Europe, which imports most of the mangoes from Africa and the US.

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EU Envoy Defends Alphonso Mangoes Ban, Dubs it as a Political Issue

The European Union today defended the ban it has imposed on Alphonso mangoes but said it was open to reviewing the decision if all issues related to quality control are addressed even as it dubbed the controversy over its move "a fallout of electoral politics".

"The situation is very simple. A bunch of files regarding problems relating to quality control of the fruit were found during the inspection by a team that had come in 2010 to check the export process. So warnings were issued.

"In, 2013 a regular follow-up inspection was carried out and they were told to put in some mechanism in next 6-8 months but that did not happen till this February," European Union envoy Joao Cravinho said here.

Cravinho was addressing an event on 'business opportunities in the EU', organised by the industry lobby group All-India Association of Industries.

He, however, was quick to add that "the EU does not want to ban Indian mangoes. This is a temporary ban and I expect there will be a revision of the situation in 2015. But there can be a review of the situation before that as well if the changes are put in place."

Cravinho said the controversy following the ban was outcome of general elections in India and the EU Parliamentary polls.

"The controversy surrounding the ban has more to do with politics than the trade. 90 per cent of the controversy is related to the fact that you are in the election mode here. The European Parliament elections have also played some role," Cravinho said.

He said the ban was not a big issue in Europe, which imports most of the mangoes from Africa and the US.

The 28-member EU had slapped a temporary ban on imports of Alphonso variety and four vegetables from the country on May 1, sparking protests from the government and traders.

He also ruled out any impact of mango ban on now-stalled FTA talks with the European Union.

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EU Envoy Defends Alphonso Ban, Dubs It 'Political Issue'