Self-evident Prerequisites
Economic vitality and international competitiveness are self-evident prerequisites for the future viability of Europe. Only if Europe also succeeds economically will it be able to assert and promote its values. Much of this is the responsibility of the member states and should remain as such. But if all governments commit themselves to the necessary structural reforms for greater growth and employment, this will lead to stronger economic dynamism throughout all of Europe. Current data on the budgetary situation and growth in Germany show that we are on the right track. We need to stabilize and build upon these positive developments.
Our work in the EU should focus on reducing bureaucracy and improving legislation, gradually completing the implementation of the Single Market, focusing research subsidies on excellence, and cooperating in the area of energy policy, in order to consolidate Europe’s weight and bring it to bear effectively in talks with producing and consuming countries.
We must ensure that Europe will continue to be able to persevere in a rapidly changing world, even with the twenty-seven member states it will soon have. This will only succeed if we reinforce the foundation of the European house before we add additional stories. Otherwise, there’s a real danger that the entire building will falter in the end. Therefore, my position on the constitutional treaty has not changed. We need a new treaty. Such a constitutional treaty contains important institutional innovations. It provides for an improved protection of fundamental rights as an expression of our European value system. It establishes a more clear-cut division of authority and responsibilities and strengthens the role of the national parliaments. It advances Europe in the areas of justice and domestic policies, as well as in foreign policy – especially by creating the office of a European foreign minister. This is why we treat with great seriousness the European Council’s June 2006 request that we probe how we might move forward on this issue during our Council Presidency. After comprehensive consultations with all partners, we will be able to decide in the end what is possible and what is not. Until that point is reached, we must have above all the courage to be patient and exercise restraint. For any premature public commitment will only make it harder than necessary to reach agreement.
No New Commitments
Without doubt, restraint is also advisable when it comes to the question of future EU enlargements. At the European Council in December, we will wrestle with the question of the European Union’s ability to integrate new members. My position is clear-cut: We will respect all standing commitments, but we cannot make new commitments regarding prospective membership in the foreseeable future. There will be no more automatic implementations in the future. Only when conditions are fully satisfied can the process of accession to or affiliation with the European Union move forward. The citizenry will only support an enlargement process that is politically structured in such a way.
We are very interested in having stable and economically successful neighbors. Accession to the EU or the prospect thereof certainly cannot be the only way to achieve this. Therefore, we need to develop a serious and convincing neighborhood policy. This policy must support reform efforts in countries in our direct vicinity without making any false promises. Many custom-made forms of cooperation are conceivable in this regard.
If we wish to shape globalization according to our European value system, then we must throw our combined weight onto the scales – be it during World Trade Organization negotiations, when it comes to environmental protection, or with regard to the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Our partners are right when they expect that Europe and the Europeans will assume a level of international responsibility commensurate with Europe’s importance. Europe cannot afford to be pre-occupied with itself. In the coming year, Germany would like to contribute to strengthening the voice of the European Union in an ever-shrinking world.
Source: Angela Merkel, “Wertegebundene Europapolitik. Herausforderungen für die deutsche Ratspräsidentschaft” [“Values-based European Politics, Challenges for Germany’s Council Presidency”], Die politische Meinung 51, November 2006, pp. 5-7.
Translation: Allison Brown
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