Germany and European union

On 1 January 2007 German assumes the presidency of the Council of the EU for a period of six months. The German government fully recognises the responsibilities and opportunities which this role involves. European unification undoubtedly constitutes a success story despite the fact that it has passed through a number of difficult phases. We, as the representatives of the federal government would like to make our contribution towards ensuring that European unification continues to be a successful venture, albeit under differing basic conditions. In a world marked by increasing globalisation, each European state is, on its own, too small to meet the cross-border challenges which arise, such as the need to create a fair system of world trade geared to the promotion of competition, and the need to cut illegal migration, to bring about adequate protection of the environment and to ensure internal and external security.
To achieve these aims we need a strong, united Europe. Public recognition of this fact does, however, appear to be diminishing. Europe, as a topic of public interest, barely gives rise to enthusiasm. Many people have no clear image as to the direction in which the development of Europe should be travelling and the goal of the process of European unification. This confusion was reflected in the failed referendums held in France and the Netherlands. We cannot close our eyes to this reality. One of the most urgent tasks of European policy must therefore be to create a new trust in the European institutions and to strengthen popular support for the process of European integration.
Europe's regions have a particularly important role to play in this context. They symbolise active European cooperation in a Europe which is both close to the people and fully transparent. The Committee of the Regions provides the regions with a voice at European level. By virtue of their close links with the regions and municipalities, members of the Committee of the Regions have a vital role to play in informing and convincing public opinion. I therefore hope that members of the Committee of the Regions, in particular, will make an active contribution towards the success of the German presidency. Under our presidency we wish to pursue two key goals. On the one hand, we want to boost economic dynamism in the EU.

Conclusion

Europe is, however, not just an economic community. It is founded on common values, namely, freedom, democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, justice and solidarity. During the German presidency we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome. We want to use this anniversary as an opportunity for considering the foundations on which the European Union is based. With this aim in view, I have invited the Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States and the presidents of both the European Parliament and the European Commission to hold a meeting in Berlin on 24 and 25 March 2007.
At this meeting we will not only be looking back at previous year but also, and above all, looking forward to the tasks which we will have to carry out in the future. These tasks include the establishment of a road map for the constitutional Treaty. I am convinced that Europe needs a constitutional Treaty. There is a need on the one hand, to have a binding Treaty in order to ensure that the institutions of the EU are able to function effectively. On the other hand, the fundamental rights set out in the constitutional Treaty clearly indicate that Europe is more than just a coordinating body.
The extent to which the capital Member States of the EU have moved ever closer is illustrated by, for example, the progress made in the fields of justice and internal affairs policy and by the proposed appointment of an EU foreign minister. In the final analysis, the debate on the European constitution also revolves around the issues of democratic legitimacy and a clear distribution of powers between the Member States and the Union. These two points are of such importance because they make the EU more transparent for its citizens, thereby enabling us to counteract scepticism about the EU. The constitutional Treaty also strengthens the regions. It recognises regional and local self-government and expressly safeguards regional autonomy. Furthermore, the Committee of the Regions would be granted the right to institute legal action within the framework of the early warning system in respect of subsidiarity. Werecognise that we have set ourselves ambitious goals for our EU presidency. Six months is clearly not a very long period of time. We will therefore have to pass on many of our plans to the next two Member States which will hold the Council Presidency after Germany, namely Portugal and Slovenia. Along with these two countries, Germany will also instigate the first "trio presidency" in the history of the European Union. In the course of the German presidency we want to give fresh impetus to the process of further European unification. In pursuing this goal, I shall also rely on the support of the Committee of the Regions. In the Europe of the Regions your Committee is a vital mediator which enhances understanding of the role of the European Union, namely that of a guarantor of peace, freedom, security and prosperity in a globalised world.

References

Held D. Global Transformations / D. Held, Mc. Graw, D. Gold, J. Perration. – Oxford, 1999.
Deutsche Welle. - Режим доступу: http://www.dw.de.
Migrationsbericht 2012 des Bundesamtes für Migration und Flüchtlinge im Auftrag der Bundesregierung / Bundesministerium des Innern.
Statistics / United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: http://unctad.org.
Yergin D. The Commanoting Heights. The Battle Between Government and the Marketplace. That is Remaking the Modern World / D. Yergin, J. Stanislaw. – N. Y., 1988.











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