Olli Rehn EU Commissioner for Enlargement A strong Europe for a free world ELDR CongressBerlin, 18 October 2007
In the coming decades we can expect dramatic shifts in the world's economic and political power structures. China will be the world's second biggest economy by 2025 and India the fourth. By 2050 the world's population will be around nine billion, and Europe is expected to be home to a mere 7 % of the world population, down from 25% a century earlier.I know there is much talk about competition in the EU today. I am a pragmatic guy. I don't care whether competition is regarded as a means to an end or as an end in itself. But on the question "what has competition ever done for Europe" I have a clear answer: much good! Competition has given us more freedom, more prosperity, new ideas and new innovations. Not to mention wider choice and is increased knowledge. We know what made us rich in the past. Let's not forget this lesson in the future.
Firstly, Europe must continue to focus on growth and jobs by improving its competitiveness and labor markets. Secondly, the power shift makes it ever more urgent for us to speak with one voice, if we want to have a real say in global policy-making. The sum is larger than the parts, but only if the EU will be able to present a united front. This requires both a strong political will to act together and such an institutional set-up that provides the right tools for it. That's why we need the new Reform Treaty that I hope will be agreed on in Lisbon this weekend.
Note EU-Digest: Mr.Olli Rehn is right on the mark: Europe needs to present a united front to survive. On an individual basis most of the present EU members would become an easy prey for the present dominant economic "predators", who are ever increasing their stranglehold on the individual freedom of choice by infiltrating into the basic sole of our European culture through sophisticated marketing processes. Their purpose: economic and political dominance. The power of one European voice has already been proven in many fields; no war has been waged on the territory of the European Union for over 62 years; a Union has been forged with 27 nations and a population of close to half a billion citizens; it has one currency - the euro - presently the strongest currency on earth; EU generates an estimated nominal GDP of €11.6 ($15.7) trillion in 2007; Fiscal and labor market policies, while continuing to be decided mostly at the national level, are subject to closer EU surveillance. In this regard, the Stability and Growth Pact, agreed in June 1997, sets out the surveillance procedures of national fiscal policies, strengthening the framework in the treaty aimed at avoiding "excessive" deficits; it is the world's most advanced alternative energy producer, with the most stringent environmental laws to guarantee a healthy and safe future for our children; it has successfully stopped Microsoft and other multi-national corporations in taking an unfair and dominant position in the European market and spoken out for Fair Trade on a global scale; it has tightened cross-border terrorism and organized crime; and it has given strong support to world-wide humanitarian efforts and development aid programs. Let us be honest about it: we need this treaty to move on.
No comments:
Post a Comment