17 May 2012, New York – In a speech at the UN General Assembly, José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission noted, "The lessons of the financial crisis must be absorbed by all of us. Our institutions, our surveillance mechanisms and our defences all need to be strengthened. The European Union is working towards this, at all levels. And it is also important that others address the different challenges that they are facing in other parts of the world."