EU balloon launched in Australia

23 of the 27 EU Member States have Embassies or High Commissions in Australia. I was proud to have them with me yesterday when we officially launched the EU hot air balloon, which will fly for the next four years over Canberra and the region. This was a festive event, the coronation of an active year for us and the celebration of a solid relationship between the EU and Australia that will continue to grow in 2008 and beyond.

The new Treaty of Lisbon was signed by the EU Member States on 13 December. Hungary was the first Member State to ratify the new Lisbon Treaty this week opening the way toward the final ratification by all the Member States by the end of 2008 and the effective application of the new Treaty in 2009. This will boost the efficiency of the European Union and it is a stepping stone towards further political integration to the benefit of the EU, as well as to the EU’s relations with our close partners and allies, Australia being among them. This year finishes for us with a note of optimism and progress and the balloon flying over our heads in Canberra almost every day certainly reinforces this feeling.

Written 20 December 2007

A new EU Treaty

While Australia entered its electoral campaign with discussions on how the future of this country could shape, the European Union has had a very decisive week with the European Union Council (the 27 Heads of States and Governments) approving the new Treaty of Lisbon last Friday (19 October).

The new constitutional treaty that replaces the EU constitution, which was aborted after the negative votes against it in France and the Netherlands in 2005, will be formally signed on 13 December. It is my essential view that this Treaty will give a new momentum to the EU construction, bringing more democracy (reinforcement of the national and EU Parliaments), stronger values (adhesion to the European convention on human rights and fundamental liberties), more visible, efficient and solid institutions (a European President for two and a half years and a high representative for the external and security policy). These elements among other enshrined in the new treaty are essential steps to bring forward the political integration of the EU.

As many strong believers in the European Union agree, I think this is a decisive step in the achievement of the construction of this extraordinary human adventure – one that has not only reconciled past enemies, but has also helped to build a solid economic bloc and a soft power able to balance the influence of the other major economic and political blocs throughout the world.

While the electoral campaign will be active in Australia, let’s also mark the important events for the future of our planet that are happening in the continent across the earth where about 90% of Australians and New Zealanders could claim heritage.

Monday, 22 October 2007

Trip to Europe

I have just returned from a few weeks in Europe.

My impression is that the mood there is far better than it was a few months ago. The EU Presidency, Portugal, is working hard to obtain an agreement on the new treaty that will replace the aborted constitution following the Dutch and French no vote. The feeling is that a positive decision will be reached in October and, after a rather speedy ratification procedure, the new provisions will apply in 2009.

There is a breath of fresh air with new heads of states in three of the larger Member States namely, Germany, the UK and France. The European economy has improved but there are still a number of reforms which have been identified and now need to be put in place. This will be a challenge but I am optimistic. The EU is a tremendous work-in-progress that is far from being complete but my feeling is that we are steadily progressing from the economic field to the political arena.

I am asking myself whether these evolutions, that are sometimes tiny but always progressive and irreversible, can be perceived let alone understood in distant countries like Australia and New Zealand.

A good sign is that last week we adopted a new joint declaration with New Zealand, and we are currently working on a new joint declaration with Australia which will be adopted in 2008. Both these declarations lay down the foundations of a closer, deeper and larger relationship with the respective countries that will certainly be enhanced by the growing political maturity of the European Union.

Thursday, 4 October 2007