Taler af statsminister Helle Thorning-Schmidt

President of the European Parliament
President of the European Commission
Distinguished Leaders of the Political Groups
Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission

It is a privilege and a great honor to address this Parliament again.

When I last stood here back in January, I ended my speech by saying that the economic crisis had put the European Union to the test.
We took over the Presidency at a time of unprecedented crisis in the history of the Union.

The gravity of the situation, the depth of the challenge, the severity of the predicament facing our Union could not and should not be underestimated.

I said this already at the beginning of the Presidency - not to lower the expectations for Denmark’s presidency. But rather to make clear what exactly is at stake as the EU tries to work its way out of the crisis.

During the past months, the EU has been forced to take critical decisions that will lay the foundation for the Europe of tomorrow, of next year and of decades to come.

This is no easy task in a Union as vast, diverse and complex as ours.
But leaders throughout Europe must never lose sight of the core of the problem facing the EU today: that our very economic foundation, our future prosperity, the hope and dreams and aspirations of our children, are at risk.

The storm has yet not passed and we are still facing a number of difficult and intertwined challenges. So, I am reminded by the inspirational words of the first Chancellor of West Germany Konrad Adenauer. He once said:

”The unity of Europe was the dream of a few. It became the hope of many. Today it has become a necessity for all of us”.

Those words have never been as true as they are today.

The EU is a necessity to all of us. As representatives of the European institutions, we have an obligation. An obligation to find the solutions that will bring our Union forward. We owe that to our citizens.

When I stood here in January, I proudly stated that ‘I am a European at heart’.

The past six months have only reassured me in my belief in the European project. I believe in our institutions, our cooperation and our common responsibility.

If we seek to ensure solidarity, growth and prosperity – we must seek it together. Through common solutions to common problems.

And that is what our Presidency has been all about - ensuring solidarity, growth and prosperity - together. We took upon ourselves a task of proving that the EU still works and still is capable of delivering necessary results for the citizens of Europe.

We did that inspired by someone all of you know.

In 1950, he said:

“Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.”

Of course it was Robert Schuman, who said this, and the subsequent history of European integration proved him right.

I think there is an unequivocal truth in Schuman’s words.

Our Union is built – from its very foundation – with bricks made of solidarity.

Some stones have been small – some have been enormous.

But brick by brick we have strengthened our cooperation with one another.

And this is, to me, the very essence of our Union. And this is what we have tried to do. To work inch by inch creating results.

***

Jobs and growth. Financial responsibility. A greener economy. And a safe Europe. That has been the priorities of the Danish Presidency. But priorities without tangible results are just empty words. And I believe that Europe has in fact delivered over the past months.

The Compact for Growth and Jobs adopted last week in the European Council is the perfect completion of our Presidency. The Compact does not solve all Europe’s problems. But it is, however, a light in the dark for the many European citizens feeling the harsh effects of the economic crisis.

For those outside the labour market, for those without opportunities, for those facing poor prospects – including not least our young generations – we are presenting a way forward.

It is a result of our persistent effort to promote growth and new jobs in Europe.

But of course our work doesn’t end here. We must be vigilant in transforming this Compact from a piece of paper into practical reality.

We must find a way to ensure Member States, the Commission and the European Parliament that we, together, roll out the measures contained in the Compact.

***

We have a situation, for the first time in the history of the European Union, where we cannot assume that the coming generations will enjoy more prosperity and better opportunities than we have enjoyed.

That leaves us with a huge responsibility to improve the conditions for our citizens and businesses. And that has been a top priority for our Presidency.

Let me highlight a few of the main results reached during our Presidency.

Under the headline of a more dynamic Europe, the Danish Presidency has pushed for robust EU measures in areas such as research and education, infrastructure and the Single Market. We have done this to boost growth and kick-start a job-rich recovery.

I am particularly pleased that we succeeded in achieving a historic compromise in the European Council on the patent reform after more than thirty years of negotiations. This could mean drastic cost savings for businesses across Europe – savings that can instead be used to promote new jobs.

We might not see eye-to-eye on all elements of the compromise. But I truly hope we can work together as co-legislators to see the patent reform become a reality to the benefit of our companies.

I am also very pleased that we have adopted the roaming regulation.

This regulation will lower prices significantly on cell phone usage in Member States and reduce burdens on our companies. In short, it can contribute to growth.

Another important result is the regulation on a European system of standardisation. This agreement will modernise the Single Market.

Furthermore, we have reached agreement on the proposals on venture capital and social entrepreneurship funds.

This will help access to funding for European businesses and social entrepreneurs. And this, of course, is another important measure that will help boost growth in the EU.

We know the Single Market is one of the EU’s greatest achievements. In order to realize its full potential, we must continue to reform and modernise it.

The second main objective of our Presidency was to ensure a more responsible Europe. The need for fiscal consolidation and greater budget discipline is crucial to safeguard against the financial crises of tomorrow.

We have also taken important steps in this field during the Danish Presidency.

The Council agreement on the Two-Pack will enable stronger European monitoring of budgetary plans which is being drafted by members of the Eurozone. Stronger common rules will reinforce the vigilance of Member States in avoiding large imbalances and unsustainable debt levels.

We have come far, and I urge for a rapid agreement between the Council and the European Parliament during the Cyprus Presidency.

Similarly important is the directive on capital requirements for European banks where the Council agreed its position last month. This directive will help minimize the risk of a financial crisis hitting us again as forcefully as it did in 2008.

Furthermore, we have also worked for a stronger commitment among Member States to implement structural reforms. The completion of the first full round of the European Semester is a decisive step. A step towards a more responsible Europe.

All these results will help increase confidence in Europe’s financial system. I am in no doubt that these surveillance measures will lead to more political accountability and stronger budget discipline.

Finally, we have been working hard to streamline the next EU budget so it helps promote growth. We took an important step at The European Council last week. I would like to thank the European Parliament for their constructive cooperation.

It is our firm conviction that we need to direct more funds toward growth-enhancing areas such as research, education, energy efficiency and green technologies. That has to be the way forward for the EU.

Measures that will inspire growth and stronger job creation have been the mantra of the Danish Presidency through the past six months. I am pleased to note that the European Council placed a strong emphasis on this last week.

As you all know, the transition to a green economy has been among the most important political priorities of the Danish Presidency.

I warmly welcome our common agreement reached on the energy efficiency directive.

This was a landmark result, which required a good deal of flexibility, patience and hard work on all sides.

I would like to thank everyone here who was involved in reaching this significant milestone. Without you, we could not have done it.

The directive is of key importance in our efforts to achieve our two inter-related goals of transforming Europe into a competitive, low-carbon economy and increasing our energy security.

In addition, the directive will create up to hundreds of thousands of jobs in Europe. And it will ensure that the EU gets much closer to our target of 20 percent energy savings by 2020. I consider this is an excellent result.

I would like to underline my appreciation for the dedication, high level of ambition and willingness to compromise demonstrated by the European Parliament on this road to the green transition. Your continued engagement in making our economies greener will be ever more needed in the years to come.

Underpinning our aspirations for a dynamic, responsible and greener Europe is the need to ensure a safe Europe. Denmark’s Presidency has reached a wide range of tangible results in this field.

Granting candidate status to Serbia and opening accession negotiations with Montenegro will influence the regional dynamics and contribute to stabilizing the Western Balkans.

We have also reached agreements on essential elements of the Asylum Package, which will help ensure efficiency, legal rights and a more uniform asylum procedures in the Member States.

***

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

Together with the European Parliament and the Commission, we have managed to conclude a lot of important business.

And today, I am pleased to say that we were able to reach important results only thanks to the constructive co-operation with you – the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Member States in the Council.

As I see it, the achievements of the Danish EU Presidency are also the achievements of the European Parliament.

We all play our part in realizing the huge potential of the Community Method.

Having different responsibilities, playing different roles, and, on some occasions, defending diverging interests, the Council and the European Parliament will not always share the same view.

The heated debate on the legal basis for the Schengen Evaluation Mechanism was a case in point.

I draw great encouragement from the fact that our negotiations over the last six months have been characterized by flexibility, a willingness to find common ground and – most importantly – a strong commitment to deliver on the needs and demands of the citizens.

The relentless focus on results – stone by stone, brick by brick – represents the spirit of our cooperation in the EU.

***

At the end of the day, as we strive to put Europe on a path for future growth and prosperity, we have to be guided by our vision for the society that we want to create. For me, what sets the Union apart is our unique social model.

That is what I believe in. That is what has made our economies so successful over the years. That is what we must fight to sustain and develop in the future.

Moving Europe beyond the crisis is not about abandoning our social model. It is in fact the opposite. It is about bringing our countries through the crisis with our fundamental values intact. Values such as solidarity, safety nets and equal opportunity for all.

The difficult decisions that we are taking today and tomorrow are not a departure from solidarity. On the contrary. We are doing it to protect our way of life, our European social model, our values.

We will continue to do so. The only way forward is through stronger cooperation between all of us.

The answer to the current challenges facing our Union is more Europe, not less.

That has been the guiding principle for the Danish Presidency.

Thank you.

 

Check against delivery

Thank you for the kind introduction.

Rector Demaret,
Chief Executive Noordende,
Dear students, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, let me say that I am delighted to be here today to perform this years’ Jean Monnet lecture. It is a pleasure and a privilege.

I was once a student at the European College myself. It was a fantastic experience in all sorts of ways. It provided me with a European outlook and it gave me a solid understanding of European integration that I would not be without. So to the students out there who are with us today – count yourselves lucky.

Although you might feel the pressure from an upcoming exam, please do appreciate the fact – at least once in a while – that you are attending one of the best institutions of higher learning that Europe has to offer.
Today, I would like to reflect on the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, and talk a bit about what we have managed to achieve during our term. I will also say a few words about tomorrow’s meeting of the European Council and about some of the important tasks that lie ahead of us.

But before turning to European politics, allow me to address directly the main topic of this conference, and share some of the Danish experiences with modernisation of the public sector.

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, we live in a time of great challenges. And from a public policy perspective, one of the most important challenges is the need to improve our public finances. I am sure this has been a main theme in your discussions today.

Part of the solution is a dedicated effort to improve the organization of the public sector. We must provide better public services for each euro or kroner we spend. Innovation and better management of public resources is called for.

It is not an easy task. It requires a broad based effort.
One approach I would like to bring forward today is that of digitalization, which we have very good experiences with in Denmark.

Digitalization is not just a buzz word. It’s efficiency. And it is also means better services to the citizens.
We have decided to make digital communication between public authorities and citizens mandatory in Denmark. By this December, if citizens want to change address or enroll their children in public school, it must be done online.

And by the end of 2014, citizens will receive all their mail from public authorities through a secure digital mailbox. This is a tremendous release of public resources that can be used elsewhere for more important tasks. Of course, people without the necessary computer skills will be assisted.
We will also apply more digital solutions in areas such as education and health care. For instance some chronically ill patients can have their condition monitored from the living room rather than having to drive to the hospital.

These are of course just examples of the way in which digitalization can ensure better services to the citizens as well as reduce pressure on the public finances.

Whenever there is potential to modernize, do something smarter than before and save money on top of it – one must seize the opportunity.

* * *

On this point, allow me to turn to the European agenda.

A Jean Monnet lecture is a most excellent opportunity to travel back a bit in time and look at how we ended up with the Europe we see today.

Amid the ruins and the economic despair caused by the Second World War, Jean Monnet saw that if Europe were to be reborn, incremental steps and tangible results were necessary. Not a new dose of grand ideologies or utopian blueprints for the future. Europe’s path to become a co-operative, prosperous and democratic continent at peace with itself and with the wider world consisted of piecemeal engineering.

This vision, this radical break from the immediate past of two horrific world wars is Jean Monnet’s fantastic achievement. Incremental steps and tangible results that made Europe great during the subsequent 50 years.

And – ladies and gentlemen – incremental steps and tangible results is what will help Europe overcome the current economic crisis too.
If anything can restore growth and prosperity to Europe again – it is this method. The “Jean Monnet method”.

By a determined focus on obtaining specific incremental results – be that in the shape of EU-legislation, political decisions or new treaty-based mechanisms – Europe will be able to wrestle its way out of our current challenges.

Tangible results are also what the Danish Presidency has been all about for the past six months.
Tomorrow’s meeting of the European Council will be the last during our Presidency. It will be a European Council squarely focused on economic growth and job creation. This is what Europe needs more than anything else today and it is what we have been working for as a Presidency since the beginning of our term.

We will also discuss the report from the President of the European Council on ways to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union. As you know, Denmark is not a Euro zone country, but nevertheless the discussion will have significant implications for all of us. This will not be the meeting where we solve the euro crisis – let’s be frank about that. But we will embark on a process which hopefully down the line will lead to further strengthening of the Euro.

I would like to elaborate a little bit today on our Presidency agenda and the specific results that we have achieved so far. Under our programme headline “Europe at Work”, we have worked vigorously to build agreements and construct compromises among the Member States in a constructive collaboration with the European Parliament and the Commission.

And the overall aim of all of this has been to utilize the platform of the Presidency to harness one of the EU’s most unique capacities as an international organisation. The inherent power of the EU to transform our way of thinking, our way of acting and our common understanding of what must be done.
The many tangible results delivered during our Presidency are not only good progress in themselves, they will also serve to transform the EU – incrementally, step-by-step – into a more modern, a better managed and a more green community of 27 European countries.

With regard to the need for a more modern and growth-tuned Europe, let me mention a few of our achievements.

Firstly, I am extremely pleased that we managed to adopt the roaming regulation, which will lower prices significantly on cell phone usage across Member States.

This will ease movement in Europe as well as reduce administrative burdens on our companies. In short, it will contribute to growth.

Another piece of legislation which will modernise the Single Market is the regulation on a European system of standardisation.

This agreement will help the spread of new technology in Europe and reduce administrative burdens on companies. It will also make it easier for European companies to participate in the development of new standards and it will shorten the distance between an idea and its transformation into a product that can be bought and sold.

Thirdly, an agreement was reached in the Council three weeks ago on the establishment of a Connecting Europe Facility, which is a facility to finance a more effective European infrastructure with transportation, energy and communication. It will target large cross-border projects with a significant potential to boost economic growth – in particular by supporting the building of bridges, railway lines, tunnels, broadband cables and gas pipelines across Europe.

With regard to ensuring better management and reforms in Europe – I am extremely pleased that the Danish Presidency has implemented the first full European Semester.

The Semester is the overall framework for ensuring stronger economic co-ordination in the EU, where the situation of each individual Member State is evaluated in order to determine any imbalances or dysfunctions of national policy.

This is exactly the type of capacity in the EU that can help transform Member States by pushing them in the right direction and ensuring their progress.

The Semester is our common instrument. It helps all of us achieve the objectives spelled out in the EU’s growth strategy, Europe 2020.

I am in no doubt that we will witness more political accountability and stronger budget discipline thanks to these surveillance-measures.

Besides better economic co-ordination, it has been a key priority for the Danish Presidency to get a bigger impact in Member States for the billions of euro spent each year through the EU’s budget.
In a time marked by austerity and shrinking national budgets we need to get more value for money. According to a study by the Commission, the discrepancies between Member States in terms of the impact obtained at the national level of structural funds are simply too glaring. We really must obtain better spending.

As a third major priority in our efforts to arrive at better management, we have been working hard to stream line the next EU-budget for growth!

All Member States need to allocate more funds toward growth-enhancing areas like research, education, energy efficiency and green technologies.

Measures that will inspire growth and stronger job creation has been a mantra of the Danish Presidency for the past six months, and I am pleased to note that the tomorrows’ meeting of the European Council will put a strong emphasis on this burning issue.

How we make the EU-budget more oriented towards the growth and job creation will form an important part of the discussion at the summit.

Finally, with regard to the third objective of ensuring a greener Europe, I want to highlight the extremely important deal we cut with the European Parliament on the Energy Efficiency Directive.
Apart from lowering costs on energy and increasing our competitiveness, the agreement will create up to 400.000 new jobs in the EU by 2020.

In a time where resources are scarce and the environment is under pressure, there is an economic benefit for those who chose to follow a path towards green growth.

In this respect, the directive is a crucial stepping-stone for Europe to achieve our two inter-related goals of transforming Europe into a competitive low-carbon economy and increasing our energy security.
This is an excellent result and this is exactly what I mean when I say that the EU has a unique transformative capacity that runs all the way down to the local level of the Member States!

Additionally, in relation to the green agenda, let me also mention our agreement with the European Parliament on slashing sulphur emissions from ships by 90%. This is also very welcome news.
Ladies and gentlemen, our Presidency remains committed to its growth and jobs agenda till the very end the term, and at the European Council tomorrow, I am confident that the 27 Member States will be able to sign off on a Growth Pact.

I expect the Growth Pact to focus on growth-enhancing actions both at EU and national levels.
The Pact will include a mixture of new measures as well as existing instruments recalibrated or refocused to address our current needs.

In this respect, it will be most crucial to strike the right balance between ambitious initiatives and realistic ones.

The Pact will likely include project bonds, improved access to lending for small and medium sized companies as well as better use of structural funds to boost growth and employment. In that respect, we must also ensure the redeployment of EU budget funds to improve Europe’s productivity and competitiveness.

This is all crucially important, because Europe’s recovery from the current economic crisis must walk on two legs. It must contain significant and far-reaching fiscal consolidation at the national level as well as European measures to promote growth and jobs. The Pact must strike the right balance.

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, during the past six months the EU has been under tremendous pressure from a number of very difficult challenges.

But with every crisis comes great opportunity. And in the midst of this, the Danish Presidency has sought to move Europe in a more modern, better managed and green direction.
But the EU has also taken a number of significant steps to address the situation.

Since January alone, 25 Member States have signed a fiscal compact with significant implications for budget discipline. A major loan package to support Greece has been decided. The financial firewall between Euro countries has been strengthened tremendously. And the banks of Spain have been given a strong helping hand.

These are important and far-reaching decisions, but like so many other actions at the EU level, their true implications go more or less unnoticed.

These decisions are signs that we did not give up on each other. We showed solidarity and stepped up to the fact that we have to help each other.

Our societies and our economies are firmly rooted in the core values of solidarity, social safety nets and equal opportunity for all.

These values make Europe stand out in the world.

When Europe has taken tough decisions and pulled itself through hardship, as we are working to do right now, we have done it exactly to protect the values we believe in.

I am a great believer in the European social model and the way we have organized our societies in Europe. Historically, Europe has been able to simultaneously promote sustainable economic growth and social cohesion.

In the backdrop of the crisis, Member States have recognized that the answer to the current challenges facing us is more Europe, not less.

The economic crisis in combination with the pressure from financial markets has strengthened the solidarity, the discipline and the cohesiveness of the European Union.

And if we dig a bit deeper and ask ourselves, why Member States have decided to strengthen the European project rather than allow it to unravel in the pursuit of their own national solutions, I believe that the answer is this: Because EU countries are so connected and so integrated as they are today, viable alternatives to common solutions and joint actions at the European level simply do not exist.

When we act in common as we have done for the past six months, European governments stand a fighting chance to regain the confidence of the markets and make progress.

The EU has a special ability – through dialogue and debate – to create a common understanding in countries all over Europe about the necessity of change. Because the EU is much more than just the sum of its Member States. It is the common instrument through which we can ensure a sustainable transformation of our societies, if we chose to use it correctly.

Ladies and gentlemen, I said at the beginning of my address that the Jean Monnet method of incrementalism and piecemeal engineering can make Europe great again. I firmly believe that, and I also believe that the European Union gradually, perhaps even a bit reluctantly, has applied this method through the past months of crisis management.

I am not saying that all is well now and that Europe’s governments can just lean back and let the Brussels machinery work its wonders. Far from it! The economic crisis remains very much on our agenda, and there is continued need for a steady hand and strong political guidance.

But I firmly believe that the European project – which Schuman, Monnet, Spaak and others helped to construct – is robust and will weather the current crisis.

It is within Europe’s own capacity to wrestle our way through the crisis.
We can do it our self, if we work and act in common.

Let’s prove to ourselves, to the world at large and to the future generations that we are up to this challenge of getting Europe back on track.

Thank you.

Honourable Co-Presidents, Distinguished Members of the European Parliament and National Parliaments, Ministers and Commissioners, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As the current holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, it is our great pleasure and honor to welcome the African, Caribbean, Pacific - European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly to Denmark.

I would like to thank the hosts and the city of Horsens for arranging this Assembly. I am very saddened that the late Mayor of Horsens, Jan Trøjborg, cannot be with us today as planned. His much too early passing away is a great loss for Horsens. The fact that this Assembly – the biggest meeting during our Presidency – is held in Horsens is a testimony to his great enthusiasm and visions for this city.

It is a great pleasure to be here today with so many fellow parliamentarians. As a Member of the Danish Parliament as well as a former Member of the European Parliament, I know from first-hand experience the essential role that you play in shaping policy. Not least in areas such as foreign policy, trade, and development.

Our countries span much of the globe. And this Assembly is a clear reflection of the increasing inter-linkages between the regions of Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe.

What we all feel these days is that the world is getting smaller. We are increasingly faced with global challenges which require global solutions. No nation or region can solve these challenges alone.

And this is why the ACP-EU relationship is so important. The Cotonou Agreement forms a unique partnership between the ACP countries and the EU. The Joint Parliamentary Assembly provides us with both an opportunity and an obligation to make progress on the complex issues facing us today.

There is no doubt that the economic crisis sets a dire back-drop for our efforts – not only for Denmark, not only for the EU, but for the whole world. This has been the overriding challenge for our Presidency.

When we took over five months ago, many were asking the same question: Is the EU doing enough to stem the debt crisis and restore growth?

 

Well, five months later it is clear that not only has the EU managed to deliver clear answers to combat the crisis. The EU is also prepared to agree to new growth measures. Growth measures that are so important not least to our youth. This has from the outset been a top priority for the Danish Presidency.

At the recent informal European Council on 23 May we agreed that a Growth Package should be finalized before the end of the Danish Presidency.

And far reaching decisions have already been taken in Europe to strengthen fiscal discipline.

This illustrates that the EU is in fact able to tackle the dual challenge. To me it is evident that the only way out of the crisis is to combine fiscal discipline with growth enhancing initiatives. Both are vital building blocks in restoring the European economy and securing our welfare systems.

 

But let me be clear, the crisis is not over and many challenges lie ahead for all of us. Cervantes was right when he said that “It is one thing to praise discipline, and another to submit to it”. But it is of paramount importance that all member states stay on course, not repeating mistakes of the past.

Our economies are extremely interdependent. All economies throughout the world have to some extent been affected by the crisis.

It is also clear that some economies are recovering more quickly than others. Many countries in Africa and in other regions are even experiencing positive growth rates. This leads way for hope.

I want to reassure you that this crisis only reinforces Denmark’s and Europe’s belief that we are part of a bigger, global picture with responsibilities beyond our frontiers. And we will not turn inwards.

On the contrary, these events have rather reinforced our belief in globalism. We have an essential need for strong ties and relationships with the rest of the world. Not least our African, Caribbean and Pacific friends – our relationship is strong and lasting.

The political and economic map is being redrawn. The emergence of new global actors is also an opportunity for the EU. The BRIC countries constitute a real global driver for growth. And other countries; including a number of African countries – the so called “Lions on the move” – will follow. The new global actors will be assuming responsibility for shaping future global politics.

And they are welcome. The EU stands ready to forge alliances with the new global actors. And I see great potential in these new relationships.
For instance: new alliances and relationships blossom in Durban during COP17 between the EU and African countries.

This pattern – in my view – provides new opportunities that need to be seized. Especially to meet the new challenges of the great political changes we see around the world.

To mention a few: The Arab Spring is having direct effects on other parts of Africa, the Middle-East and Europe. In Africa, we have seen recent instability in Mali and between Sudan and South Sudan. And there are protracted crises in countries such as Somalia.

All this results in fragility and instability that many places turns into violence and conflict. That is why we fully support stabilization efforts to build peaceful and stable nations. But engagement in fragile states is risky business. Issues of corruption, weak state institutions, and political instability are great challenges.

Here, national parliamentarians have an important role to play as an oversight mechanism. And parliamentarians from the donor side need to be willing to accept risks.

The winds of change that are blowing through continents are not just a passing season, but we hope a new political climate. We are experiencing political institutions being empowered to play a new and real role in politics.

Parliaments, political parties, trade unions and media are turning into actors and platforms for political debate. Enhancing democracy. Enhancing pluralism.

Citizens demand governments to be accountable and responsive in ways that were inconceivable before. This creates a new dynamic in its own right, and the EU is committed to these aspirations for freedom and prosperity. 

Another area with a strong European commitment is the green agenda. With the climate changing, the natural resources of the world growing scarce, and the global population growing bigger, we are facing the challenge of our lifetime.

Some islands in the Pacific are in danger of being submerged beneath rising ocean waters. And the High Level Panel on Global Sustainability estimates that by 2030 the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water. The pressure on our global natural resources and ecosystems will be enormous.

No nation can solve these challenges alone. We are facing common challenges. For that reason we need common solutions.

We must work together in order to promote a more sustainable way of living. A way which is less carbon-intensive and more resource-efficient. We must use and invest in new green technologies. By doing this, we will also be able to create new green growth and jobs.

And sustainable growth is possible. My own country has demonstrated that economic growth does not necessarily lead to an increasing use of resources. Actually, green technology has in many ways served as a driver for economic growth.

Think of it. During the past three decades, the Danish economy has grown significantly while energy consumption has remained virtually constant.

We have recently reached a broad-based and very ambitious agreement on a new national energy strategy. Our goal is simple but hard: Denmark’s energy consumption will be 100% renewable by 2050.

I hope that you will have an opportunity to see how we are doing this. I hope that your visit to the Danish “renewable energy island” Samsø and the local university college yesterday gave you an idea of how Denmark is promoting innovation and research as a driver for green growth.

But unilateral action is not enough. Ensuring green growth and sustainable development must be a global endeavour.

The Rio+20 Conference is only a few weeks away. And though we face tough and difficult negotiations, our ambitions must be high. Rio+20 is a unique opportunity for securing renewed political commitment for sustainable development. We must not miss this opportunity. The EU has been proactive in advancing an ambitious agenda for Rio+20.

But governments cannot advance a global green transition alone. And therefore parliamentarians, the private sector and civil society all have a crucial role to play. And to explain to citizens and consumers why this green transition is so important for all of us.

One way to counter new challenges such as climate change is ensuring development in the poorest countries.

As President of the EU Council, Denmark has facilitated the adoption of new policy direction for EU´s international development cooperation as set out in the ‘Agenda for Change’ document. We are happy to see a strengthened focus on the poorest countries. And on promotion of human rights, democracy and inclusive growth.

Denmark has a proud record of assisting countries to develop.
My government has decided to further strengthen Danish development policy and efforts.

We have taken the first steps to increase Danish development assistance, from its already high level at 0.86% of GNI, with the aim at reaching 1% of GNI over the coming years.

And within a few days, the Danish parliament is expected to adopt a new law on Danish development cooperation. Stating the fight against poverty and promotion of human rights as core aims.
 
Soon, we will also launch a new rights-based strategy for Denmark’s development cooperation. Especially women’s rights will be a core focus area in the strategy. And poverty eradication will remain at the centre of our efforts.

We will focus on four targeted areas: 1) promoting human rights, democracy and good governance, 2) green growth, 3) social development, and 4) support for stability and protection in fragile states.

All this underlines Denmark’s dedication to helping development countries, fighting poverty and promoting core values such as democracy and human rights.

We want to use our assistance to empower governments and people in developing countries, so that they can promote and protect peace, democracy and human rights. We will also focus on empowering key stakeholders such as civil society and parliaments.

Let me conclude. I have raised a few of the most important challenges facing the world today. And my message is clear: global challenges require global solutions based on global partnerships.

In this regard, the ACP-EU is essential. Over the next few days you have a very full agenda covering important geographic and policy issues.

I hope you will have a frank and open debate on how we can make our alliance even more effective in addressing the challenges of the 21st century.

I hereby declare the 23rd session of the ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly open.

Distinguished friends of Europe,
Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, allow me to thank the offices of the European Commission and the European Parliament here in Copenhagen for making this conference possible.

I have been looking forward to speaking to you today.

It is always great to speak to a room full of people interested in European Union affairs.

I hope that the discussions you have had today have left you with some fresh ideas and new insights on the state of the European Union.

* * *
My speech today will focus on two simple questions that I believe are important to ask ourselves today:

The first question is this: “Has the European Union – at this moment in time – done enough to combat the crisis?”

The second question is almost as simple: “How do we restore the people’s trust in the European project?”

Both questions lie at the very core of the topic of this conference.

* * *

So, have we done enough to combat the crisis?

Some have criticized the European Union for not doing enough and not taking appropriate action when action was called for.

Others have claimed that the EU does not have the right tools – or institutions even – to combat the crisis.

I strongly oppose these views.

The actions over the last months have shown that the Member States are willing to – and capable of – acting together and in solidarity with one another.

Within the last six months alone, Member States have signed a fiscal compact that ensures significant improvements in their fiscal policy and discipline.

They have secured a major loan package that to this day serves as a lifeline, saving Greece from an uncontrolled bankruptcy which would have devastating consequences for the Greek people. We are of course all hoping that Greece too will fulfill its end of the bargain.

The Member States have also strengthened the Eurozone’s firewall which has helped calm the financial markets.

And on top of this, key structural reforms are under way at the national level in many Member States to help underpin the steps that have been taken at the European level.

These are all examples of the EU and its Member States’ willingness to take necessary, far-reaching decisions.

And let’s not forget: these are decisions that hardly anyone thought possible just a few years ago.

Should anyone still harbor doubts about the magnitude of these decisions, then ask yourselves this:

“What international organization – in the whole history of human kind – has ever been able to do anything like what the EU has done in the past six months?”

None.

It has never happened before.

In the Member States there is a general recognition that the answer to the current challenges facing us is more Europe, not less.

History might tell us that in times of crisis, governments tend to go down the road of protectionism, nationalism and self-serving policies. But we cannot allow that to happen this time around!

The crisis has strengthened integration and cooperation among Member States in key policy areas. Because that has proved to be the only adequate response.

Today, there is widespread acknowledgment among Member States that by pulling together politically and economically at this difficult point in time, Europe might actually be able to come out stronger on the other side.

The lesson that we must keep in our collective memory is that whatever one country chooses to do – it will affect the rest.

Therefore, our solutions must be carried out in coordination with one another. And all Member States must keep their own house in order. Not only for themselves, but also for the sake of the whole.

Our individual sovereignty, our individual room for maneuver, depends on the actions of others with whom we share trade, borders and values. It has always been like this – but the crisis has made it even clearer to us.

Our economies, our companies and our populations have become so dependent on one another that the thought of individual isolationism should be considered both outdated and obsolete.

And in contrast, when we act in common, we are able to protect our common values of solidarity, social safety nets and equal opportunity for all.

These are the values we have built our social model upon, and the values which make Europe stand out in the world.

When we have taken tough decisions and when we pull ourselves through hardship, we do it in the service of protecting this model.

* * *

But of course we cannot only ask ourselves whether or not we have done enough to combat the crisis at this point in time – we must also ask ourselves if there is more to be done.

And of course there is.

If we take a look at the European landscape, we will find that growth is either absent or dangerously slow in most Member States and unemployment is much too high – especially among young people.

Statistics released last week reveal that unemployment in the Eurozone is now the highest in 15 years!

In the EU, a total of 51⁄2 million young people under the age of 25 are unemployed with a mind-boggling 51% youth unemployment rate in Spain and in Greece.

Together, we must do all we can to avoid losing a whole generation.

As governments, as politicians, as business leaders, we have a duty to prevent that from happening.

This is one of the reasons why the European Council will have an informal meeting on the 23rd of May to discuss how we strengthen our efforts to restore growth and to create new jobs.

It will also be the first occasion to hear the views of François Hollande, the newly elected French president, on this matter.

The Danish Presidency remains fully committed to boosting growth and promoting jobs in Europe and we welcome the opportunity to take further steps in May and June in this direction.

Of course, we take on this task in a broad-based effort spanning across many different policy areas. Europe needs to become more productive and more competitive.

From the outset, the Danish Presidency has been pushing negotiations on 12 initiatives that aim to modernize the Single Market and improve the business climate in Europe.

These proposals will provide real benefits to businesses and consumers through easing administrative burdens and lowering prices.

We need more home-made growth in Europe, and the Single Market must be updated and digitalized in order to achieve that.

A good example of this is the roaming directive, which we managed to reach agreement on last month.

With lower prices for cell phone usage, the directive extends a helping hand to companies that want to do cross-border business.

We are also close to concluding negotiations on a regulation to improve the European system of standardization.

This will help the spread of new technology in Europe and will reduce administrative burdens on companies.

Very soon, we also expect the Council to adopt a Commission proposal on venture capital that will increase access to capital for small and medium sized European businesses.

Easy access to capital is a necessity if we are to stimulate innovation, economic growth and job creation in the private sector.

Let me also add that we are working hard to build a consensus in favor of allocating more funds toward growth-enhancing areas like research, education and infrastructure in the on-going negotiations on the next EU-budget.

And in relation to the EU’s cohesion policy, we want to ensure that the EU achieves a bigger impact in the Member States for the billions of euro spent each year.

The EU’s massive potential in stronger trade relations with third counties must also not be overlooked.

This is why we are working on increased trade between the EU and a number of strategic partners.

Boosting trade means boosting growth in Europe.

* * *

These are some of the steps that will help us tackle the crisis and prepare our European economy for the times ahead.

And in the end, these are also initiatives that in a concrete way will improve the lives of the ordinary citizens of the EU.

So to answer the question of whether or not the EU has done enough to combat the crisis, I will say that we have indeed made a remarkable effort which no one could have predicted possible only a few years ago.

But at the same time, we have much more to do before we have steered clear of our common challenges.

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, let me now turn to the other fundamental question that I posed in my introduction:

“How do we restore the peoples’ trust in the European project?“

Answering this question must be at the heart of any present-day debate about European affairs.

Because public trust rests at the very core of the European project.

In fact, public trust is the lifeblood of all politics. Be it national or European politics.

Widespread lack of public trust in the European project is poison to our common effort in combating the crisis.

* * *

But how do we regain this trust?

I believe the answer lies not in new symbols of grandeur or new supranational institutions of power.

Rather, the public’s trust in the EU lies in its day-to-day ability to make real and meaningful decisions that positively affect the daily lives of its citizens.

The basic relationship between trust and performance is even echoed in the words of one of the founding fathers of the European Union.

Two days ago we celebrated Europe Day. This is the day when – in 1950 – Robert Schuman announced the following, and I quote:

“Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity...”

These words are as true today as they were when Schuman put forward his declaration 62 years ago.

Concrete results – ladies and gentlemen – this is the real source of legitimacy in the EU. And it has always been like that.

This is what binds us together in solidarity.

Results equal more trust. Because the very definition of trust is to believe that the one who is trusted, will do what is expected.

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, looking at the remaining two months of the Danish Presidency, we have a multitude of important items on our agenda.

We are working hard on all fronts, but let me just briefly mention four of the really big ones that I believe can make a real difference.

The first area is the proposal to strengthen capital and liquidity requirements for European banks.

Europe needs to upgrade its financial regulation and supervision in order to minimize the risk of another financial crisis in the future.

Such an upgrade must also help to provide more transparency and more certainty for the markets with regard to the regulatory framework in the future.

We are working hard to get an agreement in the Council and with the European Parliament on this important proposal.

Another big item on our agenda is the so-called “two pack’.

The “two pack” includes initiatives aimed at strengthening economic and budgetary surveillance of euro countries in financial difficulties.

It will also enact stronger monitoring of budgetary plans drafted by members of the Eurozone.

We are hoping to obtain final agreement on these measures no later than in June.

Thirdly, we are working very hard to push forward the difficult negotiations on the Energy Efficiency Directive.

We need an ambitious and robust piece of legislation that will help us achieve our objective of reaching 20 % energy savings by 2020.

In addition to conserving energy, the Commission has estimated that this directive could lead to the creation of two million jobs in the EU.

This is what we mean when we call for “green growth” in Europe.

Finally, let me also mention the importance of agreement on a unified EU Patent.

The situation today is as follows: Businesses across Europe are required to submit applications to 27 different national patent authorities in order to acquire an EU wide patent protection.

I believe one application should be enough!

These are some of the files we will continue to work on for the remainder of the Danish Presidency.

Because this is what the Danish Presidency is all about. We are dedicated to building a healthy and green economy as the foundation for creating growth and new jobs in Europe.

* * *

Allow me to conclude by reflecting on the headline of today’s conference: “Building the Europe of the Future – Post Crisis Reflections”.

To be perfectly honest, I find the concept of “Post Crisis Reflections” perhaps a bit premature at this particular point in time.

Unfortunately, Europe is not yet in a situation where we can safely say that the crisis is behind us.

The volatile and fragile situation in Greece proves this point.

And one must expect many more hurdles in the way. But while we all hold our breath, we must continue to vigorously pursue the important task of restoring growth and creating jobs.

Because the answer to leaving the crisis behind us and regaining the trust of the citizens is in fact the same.

We need to do it through concrete results, through hard work and not least through joint action.

Wrestling our way out of the crisis is perhaps the most crucial and most difficult challenge of our generation.

But I firmly believe that Europe can do it. It is within Europe’s capacity to do it.

Thank you very much.

 

President Barroso, Rector Hemmingsen, Assistant Professor Adler-Nissen, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me. And thanks to all of you for coming today. It is always great to be back at the University of Copenhagen

Let me thank the University and the European Commission for organizing what has so far been a highly successful series of public debates about the EU.

Many of the most difficult and urgent challenges have been discussed. As policy-maker and Prime Minister in charge of the Danish EU Presidency, I appreciate the input and inspiration provided.

I am a firm believer in spirited and informed public debate as an instrument to help shape government decisions. In particular, I believe in the importance of engaging young people. You will inherit the Europe we try to shape.

These debates are perhaps even more important when times are tough. The inter-dependence between the Member States of the EU means that the crisis has an impact everywhere.

Millions of Europeans are finding themselves at the receiving end of cut-backs, lay-offs, bankruptcies, rising debt and a frozen housing market.

That is also why I continue to argue that the need for a Europe that sticks together and acts in concert is greater than it has been for a long, long time.

The European debt crisis cannot be handled by any individual Member State acting alone and uncoordinated.

To handle the crisis, Member States must co-operate, make compromises and align their different capabilities in order to achieve maximum firepower.

The economic crisis – and I want to be completely frank about this – has put the co-operation within the EU under strain. It has, however, also made it abundantly clear that the way forward goes through enhanced co-ordination, stronger common rules and more joint action.

In the last months, some have criticized the EU for not taking appropriate action.

I strongly oppose this view.

The actions over the last months have showed that the EU is willing to act together and act in solidarity:

The fiscal compact, the new bail-out programme for Greece, the strengthening of the firewall and the structural reforms under way at national levels. These are common actions show that we can act together.

Many countries, for example Ireland, Italy and Spain have initiated substantial reforms of the labour markets that will make a difference. And a wide range of countries are liberalizing their product and service markets and taking other steps to enhance competition, for instance the Baltic countries.

These are all examples of an EU and its Member States willing to take necessary and far-reaching decisions.

And let’s not forget, these are decisions that hardly anyone thought possible just a few years ago.

But let me also underline that recent developments have shown that the debt crisis is far from over. We need to keep up our efforts to conduct sound fiscal policies in all member states.

* * *

Thanks to Denmark’s particular history in the EU - being a small country outside the Euro-zone, with a fixed-exchange rate vis-à-vis the Euro, - our Presidency is well placed to act as a bridge-builder.

Today, there is a widespread recognition among Member States that by pulling together politically and economically at this difficult point in time, Europe might come out stronger on the other side than we had envisaged just a few months ago.

The lesson is that whatever one country chooses to do - it will affect the rest. And that our solutions must be carried out in coordination with one another.

All Member States must keep their own house in order. Not only for themselves, but also for the sake of the whole.

Our individual sovereignty, our individual room for maneuver, depend on the actions of others with whom we share trade, borders and values. It has always been like this – but the crisis has made it even clearer to us all.

And knowing this, we must take the appropriate measures to move Europe forward.

This is why the Danish Presidency remains committed to a positive agenda for Europe. An agenda focused on stimulating economic growth and promoting job creation.

This requires a broad-based effort spanning across many different policy areas. We are trying to bring forward 12 initiatives that will modernize the Single Market and improve the business climate in Europe.

Last month, we concluded negotiations with the European Parliament on the revision of the roaming regulation and we soon hope to adopt the regulation on a European system of standardisation. This will help the spread of new technology in Europe, reduce administrative burdens on companies and create a new basis for growth.

In the on-going negotiations on the next EU-budget, we are seeking to build a consensus in favour of allocating more funds towards growth-enhancing areas like research, education, energy efficiency and green technologies.

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, the theme for our discussion today – “The future of the EU – moving forward together?” implies a Europe at a crossroads.

A Crossroads, where we need to choose.

But is the choice really between on the one hand - old-style European politics with a few great powers dominating their smaller neighbours on a divided continent, and on the other - a situation where we are forced to plunge ourselves into new treaties leading to a “united states” of Europe?

I don’t think so.

I don’t believe that any of these two destinations for Europe will find much favour with the great majority of European citizens. Nor are they in our interest.

What I do believe is that Europe will be capable of working its way out of the current crisis through a relentless focus on achieving tangible results and by applying our expanded economic tool-box in a clever way.

This is what European integration has always been about: finding pragmatic and flexible solutions to common challenges.

And I promise you: it is also what the remainder of the Danish EU Presidency will be about.

Thank you.

Distinguished representatives of national parliaments and the European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen.

I am very pleased to speak today at the 48th annual COSAC meeting and to have the opportunity to meet with representatives of the national parliaments from the different Member States and the European Parliament.

***

National parliaments play an indispensable role in EU politics – both when it comes to scrutiny and subsidiarity. You are close to the citizens. You are involved in all phases of the EU decision-making process – from preparation over adoption to the crucial implementation of EU law. Furthermore, you have a vital role in communicating European politics.

If Europe is to succeed with its most paramount task today – to get Europe back on a track for growth and jobs – the efforts that you do are imperative.

Both when it comes to the tasks with are first and foremost the responsibility of each Member State: Adopting sound budgets. And implementing reforms that enhance competitiveness. But also when it comes to deciding and implementing new EU initiatives to stimulate growth. Growth and new jobs is a top priority for the Danish Presidency and we count on your support.

***

When we took over the Presidency a few months ago, many were asking the same question: Is the EU doing enough to stem the debt crisis and restore growth? Well, tough decisions have been taken in Europe since then and more will follow.

Does this mean that we are on the right road to recovery in Europe? Responding to this, which is the big question for our debate today, I will quote Sir Winston Churchill who once said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”.

We are indeed still faced with difficulties in Europe. The latest forecast from the European Commission shows that the EU is set to experience stagnating GDP this year. And according to recent Eurostat figures, we are looking at the highest unemployment rates in the euro zone since 1999.

Millions of Europeans are finding themselves at the receiving end of cut-backs, lay-offs, bankruptcies, rising debt and a frozen housing market.

So to call off the crisis would be unjustified and naïve. However, the answer to the crisis lies not merely in focusing on the difficulties but also focusing on the opportunities.

I have always been a strong believer in the European project and the use of finding common solutions. To handle this crisis, Member States must co-operate, make compromises and align their different capabilities in order to achieve maximum firepower. I am an optimist regarding the future of Europe.

***

I find several grounds for optimism:

Firstly, European leaders have shown the will to confront the challenges. Over the past months, we have taken a number of steps that redefine the economic governance of the European Union.

The Fiscal Compact, the second loan agreement for Greece and the bolstering of the fire-wall are all important steps towards re-establishing confidence in the European economy and stabilising financial markets.

Furthermore, while the targeted effort from the European Central Bank cannot and should not replace reforms in the Member States, it has contributed significantly to calming the markets.

These actions have marked a turning point that enables us to look beyond urgent crisis management and put growth and jobs at the top of the European agenda.

Just this fact that we are now talking about growth and jobs and not only crisis management, this is a remarkable game changer. At the EU summits in January and March this allowed us to agree on a number of initiatives to spur growth and address youth unemployment. Youth unemployment is one a major problem facing Europe as we work to get back on track towards long term growth.

Although growth prospects are still dim and unemployment rates are still troubling, the apocalyptic scenarios are off the table. Confidence of households, companies and financial markets is returning after a deep crisis of confidence. Positive growth is expected to return to the euro area in the second half of 2012, although with significant variation among countries.

Secondly, Member States all over Europe have carried out, or are planning to carry out tough reforms.

Some have blamed Europe for inaction and for not taking the need to reform seriously. I strongly oppose this view. The current crisis has in fact created a general understanding that structural reforms are necessary and that difficult decisions are inevitable.

A number of Member States, including my own, have already implemented or are implementing budget rules, which ensure strict budgetary discipline and swift action if public deficits rise above the agreed limit in the Fiscal Compact. This is to ensure balanced and healthy budgets in Europe now and in the future.

We still have hard decisions and more reforms in front of us. But the first steps have already been taken to restore confidence and ensure the long-term viability of the European model. This goes to prove that Europe is capable of taking action, when action is needed.

***

This is not a juncture for complacency. We have mapped a path out of the crisis. But it is far too early to call off the crisis. Economic uncertainty is still significant. It will take a long haul and a lot of political craftsmanship, in individual countries as well as at the EU level.

Getting out of the crisis will require much more than a stable economic foundation. To make progress and regain our global competitiveness, we must combine our efforts to stabilise the economy with ambitious growth initiatives that are smart, sustainable and inclusive.

This was the message of the EU2020 strategy – a message which has no less importance today than when it came out. Allow me to move beyond the headlines and point to some of the elements that I find crucial in building a competitive and prosperous Europe for the future.

***

Firstly, we must ensure smart growth for Europe. There is no denying that globalisation has sharpened the global competition. We all feel that in our individual member states. Therefore, Europe needs to sharpen its competitive edge. In order to do so, Europe needs to compete globally on skills. We should do so by promoting education, research and innovation and by removing barriers for growth in the Single Market, including the digital Single Market.

Maintaining and expanding excellent research environments in Europe is an important element in the efforts to ensure long-term economic growth and job creation. In this regard, research and innovation should be closer linked in the new framework programme for research.

Innovation should also be stimulated by easier access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises as recognised by the European Council. We now that SME’s provide some 67 percent of all jobs in the EU. Providing them with access to capital to be invested in innovative start ups is doable and holds real potential for growth and jobs in Europe.

We also know that a stronger and modernised Single Market is vital for smart growth and job creation in the EU. Recently, the OECD recommended that we look to the Single Market for growth. This is no coincidence.

Since its launch, the Single Market is estimated to have created growth worth 800 billion Euros. Barriers to free movement have been broken down, prices have been lowered and the supply of goods expanded. The Single Market is the main engine for European growth. But the engine needs tuning up.

Every day, European businesses and consumers still face obstacles in the Single Market – be it a consumer who cannot buy goods off a foreign website or a business who is kept from entering the market of another EU Member State.

We always talk about this in a general way. But let me give you an example: a smaller, Danish consultancy firm was booked to do a job in another Member State. To do this job, it needed data from the national statistics office. Upon its request, the firm was met with the answer that only national businesses could be granted access to the data, making it impossible for the firm to do the job they were hired to do.

This is just one example of a technical barrier to trade in the Single Market. The good news is that this barrier was removed, although it took some time. The bad news is that plenty of other examples still exist.

That is why the Danish Presidency has made the relaunch of the Single Market and the 12 growth levers in the Commission’s Single Market Act a top priority. We are very pleased with the momentum given to this agenda by the recent European Council meetings. But now it is time to put words into action.

We will do the utmost to attain results on as many proposals as possible in the Single Market Act. But we cannot achieve this without the strong support from you and all actors involved.

We have another important source of smart growth. That is the Digital Single Market.

It is estimated that the EU could achieve an overall increase in GDP by 4 percent by creating a well functioning digital single market. 4 percent we could need right now.

Take as an example the roaming package, which the Danish Presidency on behalf of the Council and the European Parliament reached agreement on last month. It reduces the price of mobile data by up to 90 per cent by 2014, thus making it cheaper and easier for European businesses and consumers to buy and sell services and goods via their mobile phones.

This is a good example of a smart growth initiative with real impact on the everyday lives of European companies and consumers. This is the Single Market at its very best.

***

Secondly, we must ensure sustainable growth in Europe.

We need growth, which is long-lasting; growth which does not compromise our future.

The transition to a green economy should not be perceived as a choice between growth on the one hand and addressing climate challenge and resource scarcity on the other.

There is not necessarily a conflict between these two objectives. If we make the right policy choices we can lay the foundation for resource efficient growth that will ensure a more competitive and a greener Europe.

We also have a first mover advantage in the EU. We should use that advantage.

We have already taken a lead on the global stage with an ambitious energy and climate policy. We are in a strong position to take advantage of the opportunities of sustainable production and consumption.

But we must also continue our effort to stay ahead of our game in the global competition. If we relax our ambitions the potential of sustainable growth will be realised elsewhere.

More than 20 million European jobs are linked to the environment in one way or another. We have to ensure that these high-tech research and knowledge-intensive jobs remain in Europe and that new green jobs are created in the future.

To achieve this goal, we must take the necessary decisions that will allow us to stay in the lead.

This includes increased promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy as well as an EU budget that underpins sustainable agriculture.

We must also work hard to bring sustainable development to the top of the agenda at the global level. Currently, the Danish Presidency is doing its best to ensure a clear and strong European voice at the Rio+20 summit in June.

If we do not create the right conditions, the green transformation will not happen. And we cannot do it without your help as national legislators in Europe.

In Denmark, we aim to do our part as well.

Last month my government secured broad political support in the Danish Parliament for a truly historic energy agreement.

The agreement provides for the construction of new major wind farms.

The goal is that half of all Danish electricity consumption will be provided by wind energy by 2020. And we have charted the course to our next, even more ambitious goal: One hundred percent renewable energy in Denmark by 2050.

This agreement does not only bring Denmark in the lead when it comes to the green economy transition. It is also estimated to create up to 8.000 new jobs in the Danish energy sector.

There is no reason why similar ambitions at the EU level cannot deliver the same results.

And this is exactly what green growth is all about.

***

Thirdly – and finally – it is important that we ensure inclusive growth in Europe.

More than 24 million Europeans are currently without a job. The youth unemployment rate is now at a staggering 22,4 percent leaving many young people without hope.

What our youth demand of us is only fair: access to the same education and job opportunities that previous generations have enjoyed. A chance to contribute to their societies and to build a secure future for themselves.

We owe it to these people and to society as a whole to aim not only for prosperity, but also for solidarity. We must ensure growth, which does not leave anyone to fend for themselves.

We must protect the core values of solidarity, safety nets and equal opportunity in our European social model. The best way to protect the heart of our European social model is to ensure that it is constantly up to speed.

Those of us who are the strongest proponents of our welfare state must also take on the responsibility and take the lead when it comes to reforming it to make sure that the European model stays viable and competitive. This cannot be done without tough choices.

It requires structural reforms in every Member State; some of which have already been launched; some of which are still in the making. The European Semester is a key instrument in this endeavour because it will help ensure that Member States implement these reforms in a coordinated manner.

As Presidency of the Council, we encourage Member States to accelerate structural reforms in line with the recommendations in the national reform programmes and the stability and convergence programmes.

However, the main responsibility remains with national governments and Parliaments. With you and myself – with us.

In the end, it is us, who must ensure that our youth has access to the same opportunities as we did. It is us who must ensure inclusive growth in Europe.

***

Ladies and gentlemen, circumstances are difficult today, as they were yesterday andas they will be tomorrow. Despite the best of our efforts, the crisis is not over yet.

However, as I have laid out here today, I do find reason to choose optimism over pessimism. I do see opportunity ahead.

With the Fiscal Compact, we have created a stable foundation on which to move forward. And the reform agenda has been initiated.

What we must do now is use the instruments at our disposal to build on that foundation, and ensure smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe. The Danish Presidency is dedicated to this task. But we cannot do it without you.

When it comes to getting Europe out of the current crisis, you are key. Because of your role in formulating, deciding and implementing the necessary common European policies. And no less important, because many of the necessary steps must be taken at the Member State level by each national parliament.

All too often, the crisis is portrayed as a misdoing of wrongful or inadequate EU policies.

However, a sound budget is first and foremost the responsibility of each Member State. Competitive, but socially balanced, labour market policies are first and foremost the responsibility of each Member State. And education policy and investments in research and innovation are first and foremost the responsibility of each Member State.

We have important tools at the European level, such as the European Semester to set common guidelines, evaluate progress and learn from best practices.

But in these areas where the competencies and the responsibility ultimately lie with the Member States, we depend on each Member State to keep their own house in order and to invest in the future. Not only for themselves, but also for the sake of the whole.

And so let us embark on this task together – parliaments and governments alike. I hope you share my optimism – and even more importantly - I hope you agree when I say: Optimism is good, but action is better.

Thank you for your attention.

Your Royal Highness, distinguished panel, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a real privilege to open the EWEA conference in Copenhagen. I am deeply impressed that more than 10.000 people are expected to participate over the next four days. This is truly the place to be when it comes to renewable energy and green growth.

As his Royal Highness underlined, the pressure on our climate, our environment, our resources and our planet is growing.

Essentially, this leaves us with only one way forward. We must take the green road ahead.

All of us present today are fellow travelers on this green road. The wind power sector is absolutely crucial on our common journey.

In Denmark, we have a long tradition of using wind energy. Through centuries, the wind – and we have plenty of it – has driven our ships, our pumps and our turbines.

Building on this strong tradition, the Danish wind industry represents 25.000 jobs in Denmark. Exports amount to close to 60 billion Danish kroner a year. In short, the Danish wind industry is a vital source of growth and prosperity in Denmark.

We need our wind industry to prosper even more. We need all green energy sectors to prosper. All over Europe. And you – the industry – need stable long-term conditions to do so. You need to know what the political framework is.

Let me outline today how my government strives to provide the best conditions for green growth in Denmark and in Europe.

* * *

Less than a month ago, the Danish government secured broad political support for an ambitious national energy plan for Denmark.

This is, I think, the most ambitious plan ever in Denmark and – to my knowledge –in Europe. Perhaps even in the world.

With the agreement, we have broad political support for a number of important objectives that Denmark should reach by 2020:

We will ensure that 35 percent of our total energy consumption should be generated from renewable resources.

We will construct new major wind farms. The goal is that half of all Danish electricity consumption will be provided by wind energy by 2020.

And we have charted the course to our next, even more ambitious goal: One hundred percent renewable energy in Denmark by 2050.

With our new energy agreement, we have set the bar even higher than before.

And it not only brings Denmark in the lead when it comes to the green economy transition. It is also estimated to create up to 8.000 new jobs in the next few years. Jobs that we really need.

The new energy plan gives you a fair wind to continue your course.

* * *

We are still in times of trouble and crisis in Europe. And in times of crisis, political priorities tend to shift.

There is a danger that long-term objectives give way to short–term goals. There is a danger that green ambitions are lowered. I know this is a concern throughout the green industry.

But my government firmly believes that the green agenda is both about job creation in the short run and about our climate in the long run.

Also, the green agenda is about reducing our dependency on scarce and very costly energy sources. We will save money, when we use less energy. And we will save money, when we are less vulnerable to rising oil, coal and natural gas prices. The cost of inaction today will only increase in the future.

Green investments are investments in both the present and the future.

And Denmark will be making huge investments where we will need contributions from competent companies all over Europe.

We will welcome numerous bidders for the Danish projects. And we will design the tender process in an open dialogue. In this way, we will ensure strong competition and the best possible end result.

Look at this as a very open invitation.

We expect the tender to be published next year. So keep an eye out for Denmark – you are already needed for the dialogue.

* * *

You are needed to create green growth in Denmark. You are needed to create green growth in Europe.

More than 20 million European jobs are linked to the environment in one way or another.

The Commission estimates that their proposal for a new energy efficiency directive will deliver about two million new jobs.

And the European Policy Centre in Brussels has even higher predictions for new jobs.

This clearly illustrates the potential of pursuing the green agenda.

But to realise the potential we must act. And we must act now.

This is also why Denmark works hard to promote green growth during our EU Presidency.

An overwhelming majority in the EU support that we forge ahead on the road to a low carbon economy by 2050. Some might still be hesitant but we remain convinced that this is the only path forward for Europe.

This is also the case in the ongoing negotiations on the next EU-budget. Denmark is working to ensure that EU funding is better targeted to growth and greening of the economy.

For many years, the EU has been a front runner globally on sustainable development and clean technologies.

Today, we need to scale up our investments in Europe’s green sector. We need to move speedily to adopt the necessary legislation in Brussels. Because without the political framework things will not happen.

And also, we need your engagement, the private sector’s engagement, in the green transaction.

My message is clear: Together, we can transform the European economy into a green Super Power. But we need action to do so.

* * *

Let me conclude: The potential for green growth is huge.

And two factors are essential to realize this potential:

First, a green and long-term political framework. Second, your innovation, growth and jobs.

This includes the innovations which you will present at the exhibition here at EWEA 2012.

I have been told that a wind turbine consists of 8.000 components. This certainly leaves room for numerous innovations.

I wish you all a good conference and four inspiring days.

Thank you very much for your attention.

President Schulz, President Barroso distinguished Members of the European Parliament, Members of National Parliaments, Ministers and Commissioners, Ladies and Gentlemen.

On behalf of the Danish EU Presidency, I would like to extend my thanks to The European Parliament for hosting today’s event and for the close cooperation with both the European Parliament and the Commission leading up to today’s conference.

I am also delighted to see so many representatives from National Parliaments present here today. I know from first hand experience how important it is to work closely with National Parliaments in all areas of EU policy.

As Presidency I can assure you we will do our utmost to work closely together with all the stakeholders present here today as we take the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework forward.

***

There is no denying that the negotiations will takes place at a time where Europe faces serious challenges.

During the last years we have taken bold and important decisions at European as well as national level to curb the sovereign debt crisis. We have come a long way, but Member States’ public finances are still under pressure and budgetary consolidation will remain an important challenge in the years ahead of us. We have seen that it only takes a few years to lose economic credibility, but it takes decades to regain it.

At the same time we are witnessing slow growth and increased unemployment – not least for our young people.

Increased competition from emerging economies and demography only add to our challenges. It is therefore of utmost importance that we speed up growth and jobs creation in Europe.

There are no easy answers or quick fixes. But I genuinely believe that the next Multiannual Financial Framework provides us with a golden opportunity to reform the budget in a way that is better aligned with the needs of the future and that can make a difference for growth and jobs in Europe. We only get the opportunity to reform the EU budget every seventh year, so it is crucial that we get it right.

The multiannual budget negotiation is also a chance for us as policy-makers to demonstrate that the EU can deliver solutions to difficult problems – in spite of the economic crisis.

I have no illusions that these negotiations will be easy. Much is at stake. Huge sums of money are involved. And all sides will come to the table with their particular interests.

But this just makes it even more important that we all show the political will and courage to engage in a constructive dialogue.

Let me be clear. A final agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework is not around the corner. It has been clear for a while that there will be no final agreement during the Danish Presidency. But I can assure you that we will do everything we can to bring the negotiations forward during the Danish Presidency.

More specifically our aim is to develop a basis for the final stage of negotiations, to be discussed at the European Council in June 2012. This should pave the way for a final agreement by the end of the year.

The Danish Presidency works hard within the mandate given to Denmark by the European Council in December 2011.

To fulfil our mandate, we have already kick-started discussions at ministers’ level. Our aim is to narrow gaps between delegations’ positions on key issues in order to gradually reconcile them. This is necessary if we are to meet the ambitious time frame of finalising an agreement by the end of 2012. Not least because an agreement in the European Council is a precondition for moving to the formal inter-institutional negotiations that will finalise the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

But already now the Danish Presidency engages in close and regular contacts with both the European Parliament and the Commission at all levels. Close dialogue between the institutions throughout the process is vital.

I believe that today’s high level conference complements the ongoing dialogue by giving the key actors involved in the negotiations an opportunity to share their views in an open and constructive way.

I would like to express my particular appreciation to members of the national parliaments for being present today. I believe that your inputs – based on a thorough knowledge of the economy and political realities in your particular Member State – will be of great relevance.

Hopefully, the debates today can give us all a better understanding of each others’ positions and help paving the way for the negotiations between the institutions in the second half of 2012.

The question at the heart of our discussion today is: “What should the EU budget for the future look like”?

I am sure there are many views in this room. Let me take the opportunity to share some of my views on the principles that should guide our further work:

Firstly, we must ensure that the EU-budget supports the growth and jobs-agenda better than today. This requires political courage to redeploy funds to the policies that can improve Europe’s productivity and competitiveness. For example, I believe that boosting our research and innovation efforts through the EU-budget is crucial for our competitiveness in the world economy.

Secondly, we also need a greener EU-budget where the importance of climate change and the environment are reflected in all relevant spending programmes. This should of course be done in a way that supports the growth and jobs agenda.

Thirdly, solidarity must be at the heart of the EU budget. We should focus the relevant resources on the development of the least prosperous Member States and regions in the EU.

Fourthly, in a time of scarce resources we need to think hard about how the EU budget can provide real added value and maximum effect for each euro spent. We need to foster a culture of performance and evaluation where bench marking and indicators are a natural part of the toolkit in all spending programmes. And we must have the courage to close or downscale programmes that do not deliver tangible results.

We should also step up efforts to secure sound and more efficient financial management. We must show citizens that money spent at the EU-level are money well spent. In this context, we also need to simplify procedures and rules. Bureaucracy should never be a hindrance for ensuring efficient policies that deliver as much value per euro spent as possible.

Finally, the financing of the future EU-budget must be transparent and fair. And let me be clear. Fairness in my view does not mean “juste retour thinking” where each Member State is obsessed by its own net position. Fairness simply means that Member States with equal levels of wealth also pay roughly the same into the budget.  Solidarity is as an important principle of the EU budget, and of course the more prosperous countries should pay more into the budget than the less prosperous. In the end, that principle will work to the benefit of all of us.

I believe these principles are key elements if we are to ensure a future EU-budget which will underpin our efforts to solve the challenges Europe faces. But these are only my views and I can assure that the Danish Presidency in the ongoing work will take all views into account so that we will end of with a European budget that works to the benefit of all of us.

Today’s conference will be an opportunity for us and for you – the key stakeholders – to engage in discussions on what you see as the most important principles which should guide the future EU-budget.

I do however also hope that today’s sessions on the new own resources and the expenditure side of the Multiannual Financial Framework will entail more specific discussions and concrete proposals on how to ensure an EU-budget that will help prepare Europe for the future.

As Presidency we will be listening very carefully to the debates. They will constitute crucial input to the Presidency’s continued work on the Multiannual Financial Framework.

Thank you for your attention!

Mr. President of the European Parliament,
Mr. President of the European Commission,
Distinguished Leaders of the Political Groups,
Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

I am honoured to stand before you today to present the priorities of the Danish Presidency.

One of the greatest Europeans of our age, the late Czech President Václav Havel, said:

“For twenty years now, Europe is no longer severed in half. I firmly believe that it will never again allow itself to be divided, but, on the contrary, it will provide scope and initiative for ever deeper solidarity and co-operation.”

Havel was Europe at its best. A champion of liberty and creativity. A guardian of rule of law and democracy. A driver of progress and integra-tion. A helping hand under the weak and vulnerable.

At this critical time in our history, it is our shared responsibility to fulfill Havel’s belief in Europe. We must do our part to fulfill, and to keep on advancing, Europe’s potential of peace, opportunity, freedom and pros-perity.

That is the challenge facing Europe as Denmark takes over the Presidency of the Council.

***

I have been looking forward to speaking to you today as Prime Minister of Denmark but also as a former member of this great, unique Parliament.

Every day, in the political engine rooms of this house, decisions are taken that form the building blocks of tomorrow’s Europe.

Like in any parliament, there are lines of division and heated debates. As there should be. But what makes this assembly special is the shared com-mitment to Europe and its citizens that runs through the veins of the great majority of members.

You are a parliament of Europe and for Europe.

It has been truly fulfilling for me to be part of the crucial work that you do here. I was honoured to serve in improving Europeans’ right of free movement in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and in fur-thering European integration as part of the European Convention that lead to the Lisbon Treaty. And it was a particular pleasure and privilege to be active in achieving the changes which have significantly and rightly en-hanced the legislative powers of the European Parliament.

Over the coming six months, I ask for your support, cooperation and part-nership. This will be crucial if we are to achieve real progress on the heavy agenda in front of the European Union today.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I belong to a European generation that was young in the eighties. For many, it was a time of hardship with high unemployment and with limited job opportunities. Especially for the young who were also disadvantaged by cut-backs in our education systems.

We were sometimes described as “the No Future generation”.

But in Europe, we saw a path to a more prosperous and promising future. We saw leaders of vision and vigour. Like Havel.

And as the years passed, Europe delivered the conditions which
- Brought the Single Market.
- Helped to breach the Berlin Wall and promote the re-unification of Germany.
- Produced the Maastricht Treaty.
- Secured the Enlargements.

Out of the gloom and pessimism came an era of growth, progress and op-timism. Europe inspired the world with a truly unique model of coopera-tion.

It is an achievement that we must be proud of when we recall that, in the course of just a few decades, Europe moved from being a continent of re-peated conflict and division to a Union of 27 nations based on openness, rule of law and democracy.

In our Union, we have created an unparalleled framework for decision-making at the European level – the Community Method – that enables us to raise standards of freedom and fairness in economies and societies without diminishing the diversity of cultures and communities.

And the keystone of that construction is the common values of solidarity, participation and inclusion.

For us they are not only noble ideals – they are practical working realities. That is why we have built a Europe with a strong social dimension.

We aim at both prosperity and solidarity because we know that, in the modern World, they are not merely desirable, they are interdependent. In this century, even more than in the past, justice, care and opportunity are components of efficiency whilst efficiency is the vital source of investment in justice, care and opportunity. That mixture is at the core of the European success.

I draw very particular attention to it today not only to honour the past but – more important – to give confidence and guidance for the future.

No one here needs to be told that Europe is in a profound economic crisis that has rocked the very foundation of our cooperation.

Growth is low. Debt is high. Businesses are struggling. Jobs are being lost. Insecurity has become part of everyday life for millions of European fami-lies.

And because of the nature of the current afflictions, citizens throughout Europe are experiencing and will experience cutbacks and reductions.

We must confront the economic challenge with decisive action. To restore confidence in Europe. To create a new foundation for growth and progress. To ensure the long-term viability of the European model.

We owe it to all generations throughout Europe and, in particular, we owe it to our youth.

What our youth demand of us is only fair: access to the same education and job opportunities that previous generations have enjoyed. A chance to contribute to their societies and to build a secure future.

They will work for that – but they can only be sure of achieving it if we encourage and enable them. If we want them to be providers for us in the future, we must be providers for them in the present. That is the contract between generations. We must honour it with determination.

And we have to show the same steady resolve in ensuring robust public finances. Because ensuring robust public finances are the true bulwark against shortsighted speculation. The only sustainable future for our social market economies is to embrace change and increase competitiveness. The essential basis for that is stability that fosters growth, and opportunity that maximizes innovation.

Restraint in spending is not a departure from solidarity – in present condi-tions it is a precondition for dependable solidarity. I am certain that the great majority of people understand that, and are prepared to be part of it, if it is fairly applied. People are ready to make sacrifices – but they will not be sacrificed.

People will accept austerity with justice. But they will resist austerity that is manifestly unequal and unfair. As leaders of Europe, we must work in that knowledge and respond to that reality.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Europe’s destiny is Denmark’s destiny. This has been the leitmotif of Denmark’s European engagement for decades:

40 years ago, Denmark was part of the first enlargement of the Community. And our partners trusted us with the Presidency the same year we became a member.

30 years ago, Denmark held the Presidency in a period of Cold War and economic uncertainty – but also in the first period with an elected European Parliament.

20 years ago, we held the Presidency at a time when the Single Market was launched.

And 10 years ago, Denmark held the Presidency when the EU fulfilled its historic obligation and united Europe.

Like now, these were crucial periods in the history of the European Union. In the coming six months, we will again work hard to move Europe for-ward.

***

European citizens expect their political leaders to act – and rightly so. We must keep one thing in mind: Democratic politics are judged by results, not by intentions.

The Danish Presidency will work tirelessly during the next six months to ensure that the EU continues to produce tangible, useful results. Results that benefit all Europeans, young and old, students and workers, in the North and in the South.

To illustrate that, I want to highlight our key priorities:

Firstly, the Danish Presidency will aim at ensuring a responsible European economy.

That is the only path out of the crisis. We need to put Europe back on track so that we can ensure the prosperity and security of our citizens.

This requires discipline and political will from all of us to implement and comply with the new rules on economic governance. We need a modern and responsible budget. And we must bring public deficits under control.

Secondly, we will work for a more dynamic Europe.

Growth in Europe must be restored and sustained. We need to stimulate long-term growth and job creation, not least for the younger generation.

Modernising and developing the Single Market will be a key part of this effort.

And looking outward, we must do more to help our companies exploit trade opportunities with the emerging economies outside Europe.

Thirdly, we will work for a green Europe.

The EU has developed an ambitious policy on energy and climate issues. We are a leader on the global stage. But to maintain our position, and to encourage others, we need new initiatives in areas such as energy efficiency and renewable energy.

More than 20 million European jobs are linked to the environment in one way or another. There is a huge potential here. But we face a real risk that high-tech research and knowledge-intensive jobs will move out of Europe to more attractive regions.

The Danish Presidency will work hard to ensure that the center of green research and green jobs stays in Europe in the future.

Fourthly, we will work for a safe Europe.

In a globalised world, only a joint European effort will be truly effective. To ensure the safety and freedoms of our citizens. To combat terrorism and cross-border crime. To manage our borders. To establish a well-functioning European Asylum System.

Beyond our own region, the EU’s voice must be heard even more clearly as we promote our common values and protect our interests. The Presidency will support and assist the High Representative and the European External Action Service.

***

Budget discipline. Growth and jobs. Green policies. And ensuring the safety of our citizens and the voice of Europe in the world. These are our priorities.

We need to be bold and ambitious. In the middle of an economic crisis, I do not expect the Danish Presidency to be easy. But I can assure you that our Presidency will not be daunted either. We are not built like that.

Obviously, a Presidency cannot fulfill its ambition on its own. We need active cooperation from all stakeholders – the Member States, the European institutions and civil society. We need a European Union that is united in meeting and overcoming the challenges facing us today.

Your input and your support in this Parliament will be critical in this effort.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I stand here today as Prime Minister of Denmark, I can assure you of my personal commitment to Europe. I am a European at heart and, most of all, I am a European for my children. I know that, ultimately, their security, opportunity and liberty will depend upon the safety, the life chances and the freedom of their generation everywhere. This Union is the best implement for helping to spread and strengthen those conditions in our continent and throughout the World.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: the ultimate measure of our Union and our solidarity is not where we stand in moments of comfort. It is where we stand in times of challenge.

This is such a time.

As I have stressed today, the challenge facing the EU today is basically three-fold:

Firstly, we need to rely on the strong rules and institutions for decision-making that are already firmly established in our Union. We are a Union based on cooperation, rule of law and democracy.

During times of crisis, when tough decisions and compromises need to made, these fundamentals – our Community Method – are more important than ever.

Relying on our fundamental rules and procedures is not only in the interest of small countries like Denmark. It is what sets our Union apart. It is what makes our cooperation so strong and so durable. That is in the interest of all of us.

Secondly, we must maintain that Europe is part of the solution to the cur-rent crisis, not the problem. The path out of this crisis goes through more Europe, not less Europe. In current conditions, to be inward-looking is to be blind to reality. It is up to the leaders of Europe to show this to our citi-zens and to the outside world. It is the practicality of Europe that will re-store faith in the European project.

Thirdly, we must bring Europe out on the other side of the crisis with our values intact. Fiscal restraint is crucial to stabilize our economies and re-store confidence. But when the social market economic model has proven so successful for us over the decades, it must continue to be our guiding purpose through and beyond the current challenges.

***

There is no doubt that the current crisis has put the European Union to the test.

The countries of the Eurozone have taken on a huge responsibility in se-curing economic stability in our region. The Fiscal Compact will play a key role in stabilizing the Euro.

This is in the clear interest of the entire European Union.

However, the crisis should not lead us astray. On the contrary, it is more evident than ever that we share a common destiny. It is of paramount im-portance that we work together and stand together.

If we are to realize Václav Havel’s vision of cooperation and solidarity, we need to secure a Europe at work again. And together we will.

Thank you.