'IT WOULD BE WRONG TO TURN AWAY FROM EUROPE NOW' - DOUGLAS ALEXANDER
EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF AN OPPOSITION DEBATE, IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, BY EUROPE MINISTER DOUGLAS ALEXANDER, ON WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE
Mr Speaker may I begin, on behalf of the Foreign Secretary, by extending his apologies to the House for his absence today. My Rt. Hon Friend is in Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
On this side of the House we recognise that with over half our trade with Europe, more than 3 million jobs linked directly or indirectly to exports to Europe and 750,000 British-based companies trading within the EU, Britain's national interest is and should continue to be advanced by our engagement with the European Union.
And we further recognise that on challenges as broad and diverse as environmental degradation and global poverty, Europe working together can not only extend Britain's influence, but be a powerful and positive force for good, as we saw when EU Development Ministers agreed, last month, a new collective target for Overseas Development Assistance of 0.56% of EU GNI by 2010. And, just yesterday, EU Finance Ministers endorsed the commitment by the fifteen richer EU Member States to reach the UN overseas development assistance international target of 0.7% by 2015 and the agreement by the other ten Member States to work towards 0.33% on the same timetable. This will more than double EU aid in less than ten years.
So, in my remarks today, I will first reiterate the Government's response to the results of the French and Dutch referenda on the EU Constitutional Treaty. I will then address the wider case for economic reform within Europe and reaffirm that this Government will not act in a way which undermines the European Union's continuing contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in Europe.
Constitutional Treaty
Mr Speaker, this debate takes place just a week before the customary debate preceding the European Council meeting on 16 June and two days after the Foreign Secretary addressed the House, on its return from the Whitsun recess, on the Government's response to the referenda results last week in France and the Netherlands.
The House has been and remains divided on the merits of the Constitutional Treaty. The Government believes it represents a sensible set of rules for the enlarged European Union including a reduction in the size of the European Commission; a much better voting system(which benefits the UK); an end to the six-month rotating Presidency, with replacement by a full time President of the Council and team Presidencies and better arrangements for involving national Parliaments in EU legislation.
The Treaty, of course, requires ratification by every EU Member State before it can come into force. To date 10 Member States have approved the Treaty and, as the House is aware, two Member States - France and the Netherlands - have, in recent days, rejected it in referenda.
That is the situation which leaves the constitutional treaty in real difficulty. But it is a problem which the EU as a whole has to discuss and then decide upon.
The Constitutional Treaty was a subject of detailed negotiation between Member States, was agreed by all European leaders and is the property of the European Union as a whole. It is not, therefore, as the opposition suggests, for the UK alone to decide the future of the Treaty. Rather it is for European leaders to reach conclusions on how to deal with the situation which has now arisen in light of the French and Dutch referenda results.
There is now the need for further discussions with EU partners and further decisions from EU Governments. The first opportunity for collective discussion will take place at the end of next week, when Heads of State and Government meet in the European Council, before which there will be a further debate in this House.
Mr Speaker,
That is the context in which the Government has decided not to set a date for the Second Reading of the European Union Bill until the consequences of French and Dutch decisions, and their effect on the process of ratification of the Treaty, are clarified.
As the Government has already informed the House, we reserve completely the right to bring the Bill back for consideration if circumstances change, but we see no point in doing so at the moment.
While other European leaders have, over the past week, stated that their ratification process will continue, the fact remains that the Treaty cannot come into force until all Member States have ratified it. That is the situation of uncertainty which European leaders will have to discuss next week. And that is why, in this situation, we have decided, for the time being, not to proceed with Parliamentary discussion of the Bill.
Globalisation and Economic Reform
Mr Speaker,
Amidst all the current headlines and debates on the Constitutional Treaty it is all too easy to lose sight of the underlying reality that there is an economic transformation taking place of even greater long-term significance than the political transformation achieved by enlargement, and that is globalisation. Europe needs to adapt to the changing balance of global economic activity and the rise of fast-growing emerging economies, notably China and India. Rapid technological change, global capital flows and the global sourcing of products are leading to an increasingly competitive international market for goods, services and investment. The most successful economies will be those that can adapt quickly to change, promoting enterprise, productivity and innovation.
This process of change challenges Europe economically,socially and politically. It demands concerted action to strengthen key drivers of growth such as levels of employment. It calls for greater flexibility in product, labour and capital markets to ensure that Europe's businesses and individuals are equipped to adapt to economic change and take advantage of new opportunities when they arise. Structural reform, which promotes flexibility and fairness together, is the key to success in the modern global economy.
That is why advancing the economic reform agenda will be a key priority for the UK when we assume the Presidency on 1 July. As this House knows well the UK has long advocated economic reform in the EU. But, as the Kok Report confirmed, we risk falling far short of the goals set by EU leaders in Lisbon 5 years ago to improve EU competitiveness by 2010. With 19 million Europeans out of work, the main task for those of us who believe in social Europe is to get Europe back to work.
Vital to this is the task of tackling regulation. Twelve European countries, including the UK, have signed up to a better regulation agenda. European legislation can bring down barriers and improve competitiveness in Europe. But it needs to be high-quality legislation, properly tested for its potential costs and benefits. So, during our Presidency, we intend to focus on improving the policy-making process through better consultation and assessment of the impact of proposed legislation on business and on the EU's international competitiveness. Our fundamental goal is to reduce the volume and complexity of EU legislation and to review the impact and outcomes of existing legislation.
We want to make progress on the Services Directive. The Directive has a strong focus on better regulation and aims to cut excessive bureaucracy which prevents businesses offering services across borders or opening premises in other Member States. Extending the internal market to the services sector which represents around 70% of EU GDP, will be of enormous benefit to business and consumers alike.
In the financial services sector our focus will be on completing the Financial Services Action Plan in a way that protects and promotes the UK's and the EU's competitiveness. We will also take forward the Commission's excellent Green Paper on the Post Financial Services Action Plan Agenda to ensure better implementation and enforcement of measures affecting the financial sector, the use of alternatives to regulation and a clearer recognition of the global nature of financial services.
Mr Speaker, strengthening economic co-operation between the EU and the US is also a priority for the UK. We will want to build on the work now under way in the context of this month's EU/US Summit and demonstrate clear progress in breaking down barriers to trade and investment in key areas.
Future Financing
Mr Speaker, the European Council will, next week, be looking at the EU Budget for the period 2007 to 2013. That debate is part of the wider debate about how Europe responds to globalisation. The question is: where can EU spending bring the greatest added value? We think the answer is clear. It is in reducing the income gap between old and new Member States. It is in providing Europe with the means to strengthen Research and Development in the most competitive sectors of the global economy. We are convinced we can do that within a Budget of 1% of EU GNI.
There is a lot of talk across Europe about the UK rebate. The rebate is there because of the particularly low level of UK receipts from the EU and our above-average contributions to the EU Budget. That situation hasn't changed since the Fontainebleau Summit in 1984 and won't change in the next decade either. That is why the rebate remains justified and why, if necessary, we will use the veto, as is our right, to defend our national interest.
A Global Europe
Mr Speaker, as I have said the EU's future prosperity depends on being able to compete in the global world. That requires strong economic performance. But it also means having strong political partnerships across the globe.
During our Presidency we will take forward work to build up the EU's partnerships with its neighbours in the Middle East and North Africa, and in Eastern Europe, not least with those countries aspiring to EU membership.
Last December's European Council agreed to open accession negotiations with Turkey on 3 October this year. The prospect of EU membership has been one of the most significant spurs to political and economic reform in Turkey. A stable and prosperous Turkey, demonstrating that Islam, democracy and respect for human rights and the rule of law are fully compatible, would have a huge impact on regional peace and stability.
During our Presidency the UK will also lead the EU's efforts to help tackle poverty in Africa, in line with our objectives for the UK Presidency of the G8 and the recommendations of the Commission for Africa.
Part of that will be pressing ahead with the reform of the CAP. The next big issue is reform of the archaic sugar regime, which will fall to our Presidency. Getting this right is an important part of delivering agreement at the WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December which will bring greater development through freer and fairer trade
Mr Speaker, we will work also with our EU partners to ensure that the EU continues to play a leading role in reinvigorating the international negotiations on climate change. This will include engaging countries like China and India. We will explore options for a post - Kyoto strategy and try to develop stronger co-operation and real dialogue with key international partners on ways of securing low-cost emissions reductions.
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, the challenges facing the EU both within its borders and in the wider world are considerable. But these challenges can be met.
Together the EU accounts for a quarter of world GDP, a third of world trade, 50% of the UN budget and 55% of global development aid.
It would be wrong and wholly contrary to turn away from Europe now.
One in 8 members of the UN is a member of the EU. So the EU has a vital role to play in international security and global development. The EU has long been a beacon of peace, democracy and prosperity. The combined skills, capabilities and knowledge of the 25 EU Member States can be a powerful force to extend those values in today's world.
For the security and well-being, not only of our own citizens but of all our neighbours and partners, this Government will work to ensure that it remains so.
No comments:
Post a Comment