HIGHLIGHTS-Juncker's state of the union speech to European Parliament

STRASBOURG, Sept 12 (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

The following are highlights of his speech.

PAST CONFLICT

"In 1914, it caught the continent off guard. It was a sunny calm optimistic year in 1913...

"I am not suggesting that we are on the verge of a similar catastrophe in Europe. The European Union is a guarantor of peace. Let's be happy that we live on a continent of peace, on a continent that enjoys peace thanks to the European Union.

"Let us show more respect to the European Union. Let us not sully it's image. Let us defend our way of life, our way of being. Let's embrace the kind of patriotism that is not directed against others, and let us decry kneejerk national which attacks others and seeks scape goats rather than looking for solutions that allow us to co-exist better.

TRADE

"When we are united we are a force to be reckoned with, something you cannot avoid."

"Some in Europe are happy with the agreement I reached with President Trump. Some were surprised."

"Whenever Europe speaks as one, we can impose our position on others."

MIGRATION

"Member states don't yet have the right proportion between responsibility for their own sovereignty and the necessary solidarity amongst themselves."

"This solidarity must be provided by member states if they want to retain the Schengen area without internal borders. I am and remain against internal borders. Where they now exist, they must be removed. If they remain, they should be an unacceptable backwards step in Europe."

"I call on the Austrian Council Presidency to make decisive steps so that we have proper solutions for a balanced reform of the asylum system."

"We can't be talking every time about ad-hoc solutions for the people on board. Ad-hoc solutions are not adequate, we need more solidarity and it must be organised."