24th October 2012
The Future of Europe – for Romania
The Foreign Secretary gave a speech yesterday setting out his vision for the future of Europe. Let me just highlight three points which I think are particularly relevant here in Romania.
Firstly, William Hague highlights the power of EU enlargement in entrenching democracy and the rule of law in Europe after the Cold War. And he sees that mission continuing in the future. As he puts it “Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine are European nations. Their future lies with Europe. It is up to us to promote democracy and encourage them to embrace freedom fully.”
Secondly, he repeats the UK’s strong support for the Single Market and its Four Freedoms. This has shaped Britain today, and is a major source of Europe’s prosperity. We need to consolidate it and go further, especially in the digital economy, in services and energy.
Thirdly, he makes clear that Europe’s strength lies in its diversity. The EU’s 27 countries are not the same. Each brings different strengths to the collective effort. For example, both the UK and Romania are major contributors to EU security and defence operations. We have different but complementary links to countries and trading partners outside of the EU. Together these networks can benefit the EU as a whole. And there are different views as to how far integration should go. If we respect those differences, and build a Europe that is inclusive, diverse and in touch with the real concerns and desires of its citizens we can preserve and build on the legacy of the EU’s founders sixty years ago.
I’d be interested in your views. Please post your comments.
1. I lived and worked in Satu Mare for 2 years
2. I’m hoping to return to Romania when I retire.
Romania has a lot of potential even without foreign investment, but they are relatively new to capitalism and I noticed that many lack confidence in themselves.
I commented on an imported item from Germany and I said “Why don’t you make that and sell it in Germany? – because you can do it!”
– it scared the people I said that to.
I felt that they just need a little guidance and motivation and in Satu Mare it was like black and white where they needed to go.
I did a lot for the company I worked for and I felt I could have turned the whole counrtry around the same way.
What are their best assets? and what can they do?
Romanians are not stupid and they can do it.
I have read the full speech.
There are good and bad things alike.
The bad:
The problem with William Hague and his Conservative party is that they are pretty Eurosceptic and feel pressure from the UK Independence Party to be even more so. Mr. Hague does not speak about the benefits of future integration. For example: he says why a country cannot be able to adopt national and not European working practices (such as the number of hours worked by a junior doctor). The problem is that is much better for a junior doctor in the EU to learn his rights once and not 27 times. If we believe in the freedom of work within the EU, then he will not raise such an issue. Another point: he mentions the increasing budget that EU is proposing, but the increased budget is for EU wide policies to foster more integration and therefore to reduce costs; for example should UK join the Schengen area, then UK can save up to 200 million euro / year and 30 million Britons can save up to 30 minutes per year each in queues at the airports / Eurostar / ferries.
The good:
EU enlargement is a must, Ukraine, Turkey, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia they should be in as it is in the interest of Romania as well to be surrounded by EU countries and therefore to boost trade and therefore economic activity and jobs. Also, services should be liberalised so an accountant can practice in any of the 27 EU countries. However, should services be liberalised, then you need to have common EU regulations, something that Mr. Hague just said he doesn’t want to have more. So here you have a dilemma for Mr. Hague.
All in all, I believe Mr. Hague just wanted to be polite while visiting Berlin. He wants all the benefits of an EU but without the costs. But if UK is not paying for the costs, who will? Probably the other 26….
Thanks for your comment and for your close attention to the Foreign Secretary’s speech. When it comes to who pays the costs, the UK is the second largest contributor to the EU’s budget after Germany. But I take your point that the costs go wider than the budget, and include adopting the EU regulations necessary to make the Single Market work. The question is one of balance. Do we really need to have one set of working hours for all junior doctors in the EU so that they don’t to have check their terms and conditions before taking employment in another Member State? We don’t have an EU Health Service. Surely employment patterns should meet the different needs of each country’s health service and its citizens?