Thisisaunionofvalues,ofsolidaritybetweennatioandpeople,ofnotjustacommonmarketinwhichwetradebutacommonpoliticalaceinwhichweliveascitize.

Italwayswillbe.

IbelieveinEuropeasapoliticalproject.IbelieveinEuropewithastrongandcaringsocialdimeion.IwouldneveracceptaEuropethatwassimplyaneconomicmarket.

Tosaythatistheiueistoescapetherealdebateandhideinthecomfortzoneofthethingswehavealwayssaidtoeachotherintimesofdifficulty.

ThereisnotsomedivisionbetweentheEuropenecearytosucceedeconomicallyandsocialEurope.PoliticalEuropeandeconomicEuropedonotliveinseparaterooms.

ThepurposeofsocialEuropeandeconomicEuropeshouldbetosustaineachother.

ThepurposeofpoliticalEuropeshouldbetopromotethedemocraticandeffectiveititutiotodeveloppolicyinthesetwoheresandacrotheboardwherewewantandneedtocooperateinourmutualinterest.

Butthepurposeofpoliticalleadershipistogetthepoliciesrightfortoday'sworld.

For50yearsEurope'sleadershavedonethat.Wetalkofcrisis.Letusfirsttalkofachievement.Whenthewarended,Europewasinrui.TodaytheEUstandsasamonumenttopoliticalachievement.Almost50yearsofpeace,50yearsofproerity,50yearsofprogre.Thinkofitandbegrateful.

ThebroadsweepofhistoryisonthesideoftheEU.Countriesroundtheworldarecomingtogetherbecauseincollectivecooperationtheyincreaseindividualstrength.Untilthesecondhalfofthe20thCentury,forcenturiesEuropeannatioindividuallyhaddominatedtheworld,colonisedlargepartsofit,foughtwarsagaiteachotherforworldsupremacy.

OutofthecarnageoftheSecondWorldWar,politicalleadershadthevisiontorealisethosedaysweregone.Today'sworlddoesnotdiminishthatvision.Itdemotratesitsprescience.TheUSAistheworld'sonlysuperpower.ButChinaandIndiainafewdecadeswillbetheworld'slargesteconomies,eachofthemwithpopulatiothreetimesthatofthewholeoftheEU.TheideaofEurope,unitedandworkingtogether,iseentialforournatiotobestrongenoughtokeepourplaceinthisworld.

Now,almost50yearson,wehavetorenew.Thereisnoshameinthat.Allititutiomustdoit.Andwecan.ButonlyifweremarrytheEuropeanidealswebelieveinwiththemodernworldwelivein.

IfEuropedefaultedtoEuroscepticism,orifEuropeannatiofacedwiththisimmeechallenge,decidetohuddletogether,hopingwecanavoidglobalisation,shrinkawayfromconfrontingthechangesaroundus,takerefugeinthepresentpoliciesofEuropeasifbycotantlyrepeatingthem,wewouldbytheveryactofrepetitionmakethemmorerelevant,thenweriskfailure.Failureonagrand,strategic,scale.ThisisnotatimetoaccusethosewhowantEuropetochangeofbetrayingEurope.ItisatimetorecognisethatonlybychangewillEuroperecoveritsstrength,itsrelevance,itsidealismandthereforeitssuortamongstthepeople.

Andaseverthepeopleareaheadofthepoliticia.Wealwaysthinkasapoliticalclathatpeople,unconcernedwiththedailyoeionofpolitics,maynotunderstandit,maynotseeitssubtletiesanditscomplexities.But,ultimately,peoplealwaysseepoliticsmoreclearlythanus.Preciselybecausetheyarenotdailyoeedwithit.

TheiueisnotabouttheideaoftheEuropeanUnion.Itisaboutmodernisation.Itisaboutpolicy.ItisnotadebateabouthowtoabandonEuropebuthowtomakeitdowhatitwassetuptodo:improvethelivesofpeople.Andrightnow,theyaren'tconvinced.Coiderthis.

ForfouryearsEuropeconductedadebateoverournewCotitution,twoyearsofitintheConvention.ItwasadetailedandcarefulpieceofworksettingoutthenewrulestogovernaEuropeof25andintime27,28andmorememberstates.ItwasendorsedbyallGovernments.Itwassuortedbyallleaders.ItwasthencompreheivelyrejectedinreferendumsintwofoundingMemberStates,inthecaseoftheNetherlandsbyover60percent.TherealityisthatinmostMemberStatesitwouldbehardtodaytosecurea'yes'foritinareferendum.

Therearetwopoibleexplanatio.OneisthatpeoplestudiedtheCotitutionanddisagreedwithitsprecisearticles.Idoubtthatwasthebasisofthemajority'no'.Thiswasnotaniueofbaddraftingorecifictextualdisagreement.

TheotherexplanationisthattheCotitutionbecamemerelythevehicleforthepeopletoregisterawideranddeeperdiscontentwiththestateofaffairsinEurope.Ibelievethistobethecorrectanalysis.

Ifso,itisnotacrisisofpoliticalititutio,itisacrisisofpoliticalleadership.PeopleinEuropeareposinghardquestiotous.Theyworryaboutglobalisation,jobsecurity,aboutpeioandlivingstandards.Theyseenotjusttheireconomybuttheirsocietychangingaroundthem.Traditionalcommunitiesarebrokenup,ethnicpatterchange,familylifeisunderstrainasfamiliesstruggletobalanceworkandhome.

Wearelivingthroughaneraofprofoundupheavalandchange.Lookatourchildrenandthetechnologytheyuseandthejomarkettheyface.Theworldisunrecognisablefromthatweexperiencedasstudents20,30yearsago.Whensuchchangeoccurs,moderatepeoplemustgiveleadership.Iftheydon't,theextremesgaintractiononthepoliticalproce.Ithaewithinanation.ItishaeninginEuropenow.

Justreflect.TheLaekenDeclarationwhichlaunchedtheCotitutionwasdesigned"tobringEuropeclosertothepeople".Didit?TheLionagendawaslaunchedintheyear2000withtheambitionofmakingEurope"themostcompetitiveplacetodobusineintheworldby2010".Wearehalfwaythroughthatperiod.Hasitsucceeded?

IhavesatthroughCouncilConclusioafterCouncilConclusiodescribinghowweare"recoectingEuropetothepeople".Arewe?

Itistimetogiveourselvesarealitycheck.Toreceivethewake-upcall.Thepeopleareblowingthetrumpetsroundthecitywalls.Arewelistening?Havewethepoliticalwilltogooutandmeetthemsothattheyregardourleadershipaspartofthesolutionnottheproblem?

ThatisthecontextinwhichtheBudgetdebateshouldbeset.Peoplesay:weneedtheBudgettorestoreEurope'scredibility.Ofcoursewedo.ButitshouldbetherightBudget.Itshouldn'tbeatractedfromthedebateaboutEurope'scrisis.Itshouldbepartoftheawertoit.

IwanttosayawordaboutlastFriday'sSummit.TherehavebeensuggestiothatIwasnotwillingtocompromiseontheUKrebate;thatIonlyraisedCAPreformatthelastminute;thatIexpectedtorenegotiatetheCAPonFridaynight.InfactIamtheonlyBritishleaderthathaseversaidIwouldputtherebateonthetable.IneversaidweshouldendtheCAPnoworrenegotiateitovernight.Suchapositionwouldbeaurd.Anychangemusttakeaccountofthelegitimateneedsoffarmingcommunitiesandhaenovertime.Ihavesaidsimplytwothings:thatwecaotagreeanewfinancialperectivethatdoesnotatleastsetoutaprocethatleadstoamorerationalBudget;andthatthismustallowsuchaBudgettoshapethesecondhalfofthatperectiveupto2013.Otherwiseitwillbe2014beforeanyfundamentalchangeisagreed,letaloneimplemented.Again,inthemeantime,ofcourseBritainwillpayitsfairshareofenlargement.ImightpointoutthatonanybasiswewouldremainthesecondhighestnetcontributortotheEU,havinginthisperectivepaidbilliomorethansimilarsizedcountries.

So,thatisthecontext.WhatwouldadifferentpolicyagendaforEuropelooklike?

First,itwouldmoderniseoursocialmodel.AgainsomehavesuggestedIwanttoabandonEurope'ssocialmodel.Buttellme:whattypeofsocialmodelisitthathas20munemployedinEurope,productivityratesfallingbehindthoseoftheUSA;thatisallowingmoresciencegraduatestobeproducedbyIndiathanbyEurope;andthat,onanyrelativeindexofamoderneconomy-skills,R&amD,patents,IT,isgoingdownnotup.Indiawillexpanditsbiotechnologysectorfivefoldinthenextfiveyears.ChinahastrebleditsendingonR&amDinthelastfive.

Ofthetop20universitiesintheworldtoday,onlytwoarenowinEurope.

Thepurposeofoursocialmodelshouldbetoenhanceourabilitytocompete,tohelpourpeoplecopewithglobalisation,toletthemembraceitsoortunitiesandavoiditsdangers.OfcourseweneedasocialEurope.ButitmustbeasocialEuropethatworks.

Andwe'vebeentoldhowtodoit.TheKokreportin2004showstheway.Investmentinknowledge,inskills,inactivelabourmarketpolicies,inscienceparksandiovation,inhighereducation,inurbanregeneration,inhelpforsmallbusinees.Thisismodernsocialpolicy,notregulationandjobprotectionthatmaysavesomejoforatimeattheexpeeofmanyjointhefuture.

Andsincethisisadayfordemolishingcaricatures,letmedemolishoneother:theideathatBritainisinthegripofsomeextremeAnglo-Saxonmarketphilosophythattramplesonthepooranddisadvantaged.ThepresentBritishGovernmenthasintroducedthenewdealfortheunemployed,thelargestjoprogrammeinEuropethathasseenlong-termyouthunemploymentvirtuallyabolished.IthasincreasedinvestmentinourpublicservicesmorethananyotherEuropeancountryinthepastfiveyears.Weneededto,itistrue,butwedidit.WehaveintroducedBritain'sfirstminimumwage.Wehaveregeneratedourcities.Wehaveliftedalmostonemillionchildrenoutofpovertyandtwomillionpeionersoutofacutehardshipandareembarkedonthemostradicalexpaionofchildcare,maternityandpaternityrightsinourcountry'shistory.Itisjustthatwehavedoneitonthebasisofandnotattheexpeeofastrongeconomy.

Secondly,lettheBudgetreflecttheserealities.AgaintheSapirreportshowstheway.PublishedbytheEuropeanCommiionin2003,itsetsoutincleardetailwhatamodernEuropeanBudgetwouldlooklike.Putitintopractice.ButamodernBudgetforEuropeisnotonethat10yearsfromnowisstillending40percentofitsmoneyontheCAP.

Thirdly,implementtheLionAgenda.Onjo,labourmarketparticipation,schoolleavers,lifelonglearning,wearemakingprogrethatnowherenearmatchestheprecisetargetswesetoutatLion.ThatAgendatolduswhattodo.Letusdoit.

Fourth,andhereItreadcarefully,getamacroeconomicframeworkforEuropethatisdisciplinedbutalsoflexible.ItisnotformetocommentontheEurozone.Ijustsaythis:ifweagreedrealprogreoneconomicreform,ifwedemotratedrealserioueonstructuralchange,thenpeoplewouldperceivereformofmacropolicyasseibleandrational,notaproductoffiscallaxitybutofcommoee.AndweneedsuchreformurgentlyifEuropeistogrow.

Aftertheeconomicandsocialchallenges,thenletusconfrontanothersetoflinkediues-crime,securityandimmigration.

Crimeisnowcroingbordersmoreeasilythaneverbefore.OrganisedcrimecoststheUKatleast￡20aually.

Migrationhasdoubledinthepast20years.Muchofthemigrationishealthyandwelcome.Butitmusthemanaged.Illegalimmigrationisaniueforallournatio,andahumantragedyformanythousandsofpeople.Itisestimatedthat70percentofillegalimmigrantshavetheirpaagefacilitatedbyorganisedcrimegrou.Thenthereistherepugnantpracticeofhumantraffickingwherebyorganisedgangsmovepeoplefromoneregiontoanotherwiththeintentionofexploitingthemwhentheyarrive.Between600,000and800,000peoplearetraffickedgloballyeachyear.Everyyearover100,000womenarevictimsoftraffickingintheEuropeanUnion.

Again,arelevantJHAagen中华文秘版权所有dawouldfocusontheseiues:implementingtheEUactionplanoncounter-terrorismwhichhashugepotentialtoimprovelawenforcementaswellasaddreingtheradicalisationandrecruitmentofterroristcro-borderintelligenceandpolicingonorganisedcrime;developingproposalstohitthepeopleanddrugtraffickershard,inopeninguptheirbankaccounts,haraingtheiractivities,arrestingtheirleadingmembersandbringthemtojustice;gettingreturagreementsforfailedasylumseekersandillegalimmigrantsfromneighbouringcountriesandotherdevelopingbiometrictechnologytomakeEurope'sborderssecure.

ThenthereisthewholeareaofCF.WeshouldbeagreeingpracticalmeasurestoenhanceEuropeandefencecapability,bepreparedtotakeonmoremiioofpeacekeepingandenforcement,developthecapability,withNATOorwhereNATOdoesnotwanttobeengagedoutsideit,tobeabletointervenequicklyandeffectivelyinsuortofconflictresolution.LookatthenumbersinEuropeanarmiestodayandourexpenditure.Dotheyreallyawerthestrategicneedsoftoday?

Suchadefencepolicyisanecearypartofaneffectiveforeignpolicy.Butevenwithoutit,weshouldbeseeinghowwecanmakeEurope'sinfluencecount.WhentheEuropeanUnionagreedrecentlyadoublingofaidtoAfrica,itwasanimmediateboostnotjustforthattroubledcontinent,butforEuropeancooperation.Weareworldleadersindevelopmentandproudofit.Weshouldbeleadingthethewayonpromotinganewmulti-lateraltradeagreementwhichwillincreasetradeforall,eeciallythepoorestnatio.Weareleadingthedebateonclimatechangeanddevelopingpan-Europeanpoliciestotackleit.ThankstoXavierSolana,EuropehasstartedtomakeitspresencefeltintheME.Butmypointisverysimple.AstrongEuropewouldbeanactiveplayerinforeignpolicy,agoodpartnerofcoursetotheUSbutalsocapableofdemotratingitsowncapacitytoshapeandmovetheworldforward.

SuchaEurope-itseconomyintheproceofbeingmodernised,itssecurityenhancedbyclearactionwithinourbordersandbeyond-wouldbeaconfidentEurope.ItwouldbeaEuropeconfidentenoughtoseeenlargementnotasathreat,asifmembershipwereazerosumgameinwhicholdmembersloseasnewmembersgain,butanextraordinary,historicoortunitytobuildagreaterandmorepowerfulunion.Becausebeundernoillusion:ifwestopenlargementorshutoutitsnaturalcoequences,itwouldn't,intheend,saveonejob,keeponefirminbusine,preventonedelocalisation.Foratimeitmightbutnotforlong.AndinthemeantimeEuropewillbecomemorenarrow,moreintroectiveandthosewhogarnersuortwillbethosenointhetraditioofEuropeanidealismbutinthoseofoutdatednationalismandxenophobia.ButItellyouinallfrankne:itisacontradictiontobeinfavourofliberalisingEurope'smembershipbutagaitopeningupitseconomy.

IfwesetoutthatcleardirectioifwethencombineditwiththeCommiion-asthisoneunderJoseManuelBarroso'sleadershipisfullycapableofdoing-thatispreparedtosendbacksomeoftheuecearyregulation,peelbacksomeofthebureaucracyandbecomeachampionofaglobal,outward-looking,competitiveEurope,thenitwillnotbehardtocapturetheimaginationandsuortofthepeopleofEurope.

InourPresidency,wewilltrytotakeforwardtheBudgetdeal;toresolvesomeoftheharddoiers,liketheServicesDirectiveandWorkingTimeDirective;tocarryouttheUnion'sobligatiotothoselikeTurkeyandCroatiathatwaitinhopeofafutureaspartofEurope;andtoconductthisdebateaboutthefutureofEuropeinanopen,inclusiveway,givingourownviewsstronglybutfullyreectfuloftheviewsofothers.

OnlyonethingIask:don'tletuskidourselvesthatthisdebateisueceary;thatifonlyweaume'busineasusual',peoplewillsoonerorlaterrelentandacquiesceinEuropeasitis,notastheywantittobe.InmytimeasPrimeMinister,Ihavefoundthatthehardpartisnottakingthedecision,itisottingwhenithastobetaken.Itisunderstandingthedifferencebetweenthechallengesthathavetobemanagedandthosethathavetobeconfrontedandovercome.ThisissuchamomentofdecisionforEurope.

ThepeopleofEuro中华文秘版权所有peareeakingtous.Theyareposingthequestio.Theyarewantingourleadership.Itistimewegaveittothem.

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