David Miliband

European Future

The European election results show that there is a big job for pro Europeans all over Europe to counter apathy or negativism about the European Union.  One way to do that is to put behind us institutional debates.  This was a theme of my speech in the House of Commons last week before the European Council.  But another essential feature is to map out a positive role for the EU in the future.

We need to defend the gains of the past.  For me that means understanding that Europe has a distinctive model of the social market economy and liberal politics.  Social market economy because the market is regulated to serve the public interest.  liberal politics because the foundation of the EU is the respect for civil, political and social rights that came out of the Enlightenment.  But we also need to advance a new set of European responsibilities for the future.  In my speech I pick out two areas in particular.

First energy.  It was a particularly apposite to speak about this in Poland given the dependence of Europe on Russian gas.  The second is foreign policy where Europe needs to speak with a clearer louder voice.  People talk about a "G2 (Group of Two)" world in 2050, meaning the US and China. If there is to be a G3 then Europe needs to be the third leg, not replacing the nation state but speaking up for European interests and values. 

Posted at 16:42 25 June 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]