Sommaire: "A stronger Europe for a successful globalisation" - Speech by EU Commission President Barroso (25 March 2007: Berlin)
Speech by José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, "A stronger Europe for a successful globalisation", at the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, Berlin
Sehr geehrte Frau Ratspräsidentin, liebe Angela Merkel,
Exzellenzen,
wir feiern heute ein halbes Jahrhundert europäische Einigung. Wir haben allen Grund, uns darüber zu freuen. Wir tun dies in Berlin, der Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschland. Von
Anfang an war Deutschland ein verlässliches und treibendes Mitglied dieses vereinten Europas. Die Europäische Union von heute - unser erweitertes Europa - gäbe es nicht ohne das Engagement und die Solidarität Deutschlands.
Berlin ist somit auch ein Symbol des vereinten und neuen Europas. Allein die Tatsache, dass diese Siebenundzwanzig hier und heute in Berlin versammelt sind und feiern, ist eine Erklärung an sich:
Eine Demonstration eines geeinten und freien Europas. Vor nicht einmal 20 Jahren war dies noch undenkbar.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the past and the future meet. Let us first recognise 50 years of achievement. Peace, liberty and prosperity, beyond the dreams of even the most optimistic founding father of Europe. In 1957 15 of our 27 members were either under dictatorship or were not allowed to exist as independent countries. Now we all are prospering democracies.
The EU of today is around 50 times more prosperous and with 3 times the population of the EC of 1957.
This enlarged European Union gives us not just economic but also political and strategic dimension. This dimension makes each member state stronger, amplifies each of our voices.
Size matters in today's world. Together we can achieve results we could never dream of alone, tackling the challenges of the globalised world: climate change, energy security, terrorism and organized crime, mass migration, a more competitive economic environment and global poverty. The conflicts of the twentieth century made us small, European unity can give our greatness back.
Here, let me be clear. My vision of Europe is not one where only European institutions promote unity and Member States defend diversity. A real partnership is where European Institutions respect diversity and national governments promote unity. That's why we need the community method and subsidiarity.
Our unity is based on deep ties: common roots and common values. It is those values that make us a Community and a Union, not just a market. The triumph of the last 50 years has been the triumph of those values in Europe, of freedom and solidarity, delivered through a Community of law. Our challenge for the next 50 years is to propose, but not to impose, those values beyond Europe's borders. This is the unfinished European adventure.
To complete our unfinished adventure requires not just scale and values. It requires something from each of us, as leaders. Political will. As Robert Schuman put it: "Il n'est plus question de vaines paroles, mais d'un acte, d'un acte hardi, d'un acte constructif."
First, "European Union" is not a "foreign power" invading our countries; it is our common project. Europe is not "them", it is "us". It is tempting, but it is not honest for national politicians to take all the credit and give "Brussels" all the blame. Let us resist that temptation. This is the ethic of European responsibility which we must all share.
Second, the political will to be open, not closed, to be brave, not frightened. To have the courage of our vision to shape globalisation with our values.
Third, the will to give Europe the capacity to act. A Europe of results demands efficient, democratic and coherent institutions. We must equip the European Union for globalisation.
This is the kind of historical test that a generation of political leaders faces once in their lifetime. So let me finish with an appeal. Let's work together: European Commission, European Parliament, Member States and European citizens, to take the great legacy we received from our founding fathers into the 21st century. Together, I believe we can win: Europa gelingt gemeinsam.
Thank you.
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