Dear professors and faculty members of the Federal University of Brasilia,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
But first and foremost:
Dear students,
I am delighted to speak to you today about the role of Europe in global politics in general and of Luxembourg, my country, in particular. Let me give you a few elements of history to explain Luxembourg’s position in Europe.
Luxembourg is not exactly a big country, and has never been. Our country suffered a lot in the World Wars, especially the second, when its territory was invaded and the country annexed to Nazi Germany. The Government and the Grand-Ducal family went into exile in London, putting an end to the neutrality of the country to firmly take the side of the Allied powers.
After the War, the Luxembourg authorities were determined to engage the country in the emerging multilateral system and chose to be a founding member of all other major international organisations that were created to mitigate the danger of another World War, like the United Nations, NATO, or the Council of Europe. Luxembourg had at that point already engaged in a close cooperation with Belgium and the Netherlands, in the Benelux community.
As Luxembourg’s leaders were convinced that the lasting reconciliation of France and Germany was a precondition for peace and security on the European continent, it was only natural that Luxembourg would also become one of the driving forces behind integration in Europe.
Since the creation on the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952, all successive governments have been committed to an integrated and unified Europe and have therefore positioned Luxembourg at the forefront of the European integration. Today, we are proud to be a founding member of that ever closer Union that developed from an economic Union into a political Union through small steps creating real solidarities among its Member States.
Dear students,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The EU has indeed come a very long way since its creation. As a peace project, it has been largely successful. As an economic community, with a single market, it soon asserted its position on the international scene. And as the Union grew bigger and expanded its fields of competence and of responsibility, its relations with the rest of the world evolved accordingly.
Over the years, the range of activities covered by the European Union has increased in a spectacular way as Member States realized the benefits of joining efforts in a variety of fields. From coal and steel to agricultural policy at the start, to the customs union to the internal market, justice and home affairs, there is today almost no sector that is left out of the cooperation among the member States of the European Union. For all Member States, small or large, European policies have become national policies, with direct implications on the lives of citizens and on our national laws. Being a small country very strongly engaged in the European integration process, Luxembourg might possibly be the most “European�? Member State that you are going to come across.
The same goes for our foreign policy: Luxembourg’s foreign policy is very tightly linked to the European Union and its policies. Foreign and security policy is a relatively new field of cooperation in Europe – but a very obvious one if one considers the European Union’s position in the world: Today, the European Union has a population of almost 500 million people - more than the United States and Russia combined -, it generates a quarter of the world’s wealth and gives more aid to developing and poor countries than any other donor. The Euro, the currency of the Union, comes second only to the US dollar on the international financial markets. It is therefore only natural that we try to spread the peace and security that lie at the heart of our European project beyond our borders.
To achieve this goal, the European Union has developed, further to its network of mainly economic cooperation agreements, over the last fifteen years, a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP, in short), as well as a European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), that allow us to deliver on our commitment to act as a force for stability and understanding in the wider world.
This security and defence policy is the European Union’s very own strategic concept to address threats where they arise, from regional conflicts, from terrorism, from proliferation or in failed states. It is a policy field that is constantly expanding. European forces, military and police, have been deployed in many different countries and that Europe today has more than 70.000 troops deployed in various peace support missions across the globe, if you consider ESDP missions as well as other international peacekeeping missions by NATO or the United Nations.
The European Union has been and is running an important number of these missions, for example in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where it has taken over from NATO forces, or in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, where a European military mission, as well as a European police mission, have completed their peacekeeping activities, and where an advisory mission is now assisting the authorities to modernize their country and to undertake reforms to strengthen the rule of law. Last year, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a European military mission, has contributed, in cooperation with the United Nations, to securing the first free and democratic elections in forty years in this war-torn country. In Aceh in Indonesia, a European Union monitoring mission oversaw the implementation of the peace agreement concluded in August 2005. In Iraq, the European Union’s civilian mission is training senior Iraqi officials to help building a peaceful and secure country. More than 1200 judges, senior magistrates and police have already participated in the EU-sponsored training. No later than last week, a group of Iraqi judges was in Luxembourg, as part of a Benelux training course in the context of the EUROJUST Lex Mission. European troops today provide the backbone of the international community’s presence in trouble spots like Lebanon or Kosovo.
In most of these cases, the European Union was the obvious choice as peacekeeper, advisor or observer, because it was acceptable to all forces and actors involved, or because it could react quickly and efficiently, without intervening in a too disruptive fashion. Luxembourg is contributing to these European missions, financially or with personnel: we continue to also provide troops to NATO missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.
As shown above, one of Europe’s most important commitments as a responsible global actor lies indeed with our immediate vicinity, the Balkans, where the European Union acts as a stabilising force inter alia through the perspective of eventual EU integration. A major challenge remains, however, in this respect, ahead of us: the settlement and implementation of the future status of Kosovo and, related to it, our relations with Serbia.
We are preparing for the biggest civilian mission that the EU has so far organised under the European Security and Defence Policy, in the fields of the rule of law and the judiciary, to help the authorities and the people of Kosovo to implement the new status and develop a well-functioning and modern democracy capable of being integrated into the European Union in a long-term perspective. Here again, Luxembourg stands ready to do its share as a member of the EU and has already confirmed initial contributions to this important missions.
Dear students,
In his report to the General Assembly in March 2005, the then Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan stated that “Humanity will not enjoy security without development, it will not enjoy development without security, and it will not enjoy either without respect for human rights.�?
We certainly share the view that there is a need for an integrated concept of collective security; that development, security and human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing and we aim at reflecting this approach in the EU’s policy on the global stage.
As far as development is concerned, let me mention some key facts that speak, I presume, for themselves: the European Union and its Member States together account for 55 % of worldwide official development assistance (ODA). In this important field, as well as in others that I am going to come back to, the European Union is trying to set new standards, acting as a forerunner on the global scene. Indeed the EU, in the run-up to the 2005 UN Summit and the 5 year review of the Millennium Development Goals, showed its concrete commitment by reaffirming its determination to attain the internationally agreed target of development aid of 0.7% of Gross National Income by 2015, a decision which will result in an additional 20 billion euros a year in ODA.
Development policy is again a policy field of the European Union in which Luxembourg is very strongly involved. I am proud to say that Luxembourg is indeed one of the very few countries around the world that devote more than 0.7% of GNI to official development assistance. We have reached 0.89 % in 2006, and we are aiming to attain 1 % of GNI in the next few years. We will continue to push our partners in the European Union for increased commitment in this field, to make sure that the European Union will be able to honour its ambitious targets.
I would like to underline Brazil’s active work on the multilateral platform and its innovative multilateral and trilateral cooperation models, such as the UN’s “Action against Hunger and Poverty�? launched in 2004, on the of President Lula, together with Chile, France and the UN.
This commitment to combat global poverty stems not only from the moral obligation to help those poorer than we are, but resides also in the recognition that it will help to build a more stable, peaceful, prosperous and equitable world, reflecting the interdependency of its richer and poorer countries. Thus the need to pursue and step up our efforts and our assistance, which is far from being sufficient as long as some 1.200 children die of poverty every hour and a billion people are struggling to survive on less than a dollar a day.
Dear students,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I will not have time to address all the major global challenges that the international community is facing, but let me mention one more field in which the European Union tries to act as a global leader, to set an example and encourage the rest of the international community to act in turn: energy, environment and climate change.
At the European Council of March this year, we have taken groundbreaking decisions in this field: European leaders agreed on a long-term strategy on energy policy, setting binding targets to slash greenhouse gas emissions, develop renewable energy sources, promote energy efficiency and use biofuels. These targets are ambitious: by 2020, at least 20 % of the energy used in the EU should come from renewable sources; at least 10 % of the fuels used in transport should be biofuels and emissions should be reduced to 20 % below the levels of 1990. In the EU, biofuels’ market share still reaches a mere 1.8% of vehicle fuel. This demonstrates the scale of the challenge ahead if we are to achieve our 10% target by 2020. To incite other big consumers of energy, like the United States but also Russia, China, India or Brazil to follow suit, our leaders also agreed to increase the emissions cap to 30 % if those countries agree to cut their emissions as well. The European Union is actively working to prepare the period after 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol will have expired.
Dear students,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have tried to give you a short overview over the European Union’s, and within it, Luxembourg’s, policies to address challenges in the field of foreign relations and security. In a world of global threats, our security and prosperity depend increasingly on an effective multilateral system. The EU understands its action on the global stage as a contribution to such an effective multilateral system, a stronger international society, well-functioning international institutions and a rule-based international order. I would not want to end this speech without talking a little bit about our relations with other actors on the world stage, and foremost Brazil, a long-standing friend and ally in a region of great importance to the EU.
The EU-Brazil relationship is currently based on the 1992 Framework cooperation agreement and the 1995 EU-Mercosur Framework cooperation agreement. We should aim at a deepening of our diplomatic, political and economic relations. The EU and Brazil have indeed a very wide joint agenda. Let me mention only a few examples: the fight against poverty and social exclusion; the promotion of democracy and human rights; the prevention of conflict; concern about climate change, biodiversity, energy and sustainable development; the fight against terrorism and proliferation; and last, but certainly not least, the economic and trade liberalization. Over the last few years, our relationship has matured: now we need a global, coherent and coordinated framework for the closer, stronger partnership between Brazil and the EU.
The EU / Brazil Summit offered a historic opportunity to give a new impetus to our relationship and to concrete cooperation in many fields to pursue our common goals and defend the fundamental values and principles that we both share. A strategic partnership between Brazil and the European Union has now been launched; it will enable us to develop common solutions to promote peace and stability in our respective continents and help us – and I would like to emphasize on this particular point – to bring our people together, especially in the field of Higher Education. Brazil and the EU have now adopted a cooperative approach on economic and trade relations and addressed a number of sector policies where cooperation will be enhanced: energy, employment and social issues, regional development, to name but a few.
Dear students,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I mentioned a few minutes ago that Luxembourg has been convinced of the necessity and benefits of an integrated and unified Europe. Brazil has been at the forefront of efforts to deepen Latin American integration both through Mercosur and with the establishment of the Union of South American Nations. Given Brazil’s political and economic weight within Mercosur, a closer partnership between Brazil and the EU will support not only foster intra-Mercosur integration but will also lead to reinforce the relationship between the European Union and Mercosur. Therefore, Luxembourg very much welcomes the strong commitment that both the EU and Brazil took at the July Summit to seek a successful conclusion of the negotiations leading to the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement. This Agreement will constitute an important complement to a successful conclusion of the WTO Doha Development Round and will contribute to a reinforcement of trade and investment flows between our two regions.
As regards trade and economic relations, I want to stress that Brazil is the most important market for the EU in Latin America; accounting for one third of total EU trade with this region and with a two digital growth rate in recent years. The EU is also Brazil’s most important trading partner, accounting for 22% of Brazil’s total trade. Compared to Russia, India and Chine, Brazil has already attracted the most EU foreign investment that went into the so-called “BRICS�? countries (even if its growth rates are not comparable with China or India). Brazil is also a significant investor in the EU, in particular in sectors such as trade, mining and construction. However, there is still a significant potential to exploit in a mutually beneficial way: Brazil accounts for only 1.8% of total EU trade with third countries. Both Brazil and the EU have recently reaffirmed their strong commitment to conclude promptly the Doha Round and to reach an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced agreement that fulfils the development objectives of the Round, promotes effective trade rules and creates new trade flows and market opportunities in agriculture, industrial goods and services among and between all members of the WTO.
I know that from the outside, it is not always easy to understand the European Union and its workings – after all, it is a coordination of 27 States, a heavy machine, with a very original way to function: every Member State regularly holds the Presidency of the Union, chairing all the relevant work at all levels, from the European Council meetings of the leaders down to the working level and setting the agenda of the works of the Council during those six months.
There are internal hick-ups, once and again, but, during the recent Informal Summit that took place in Lisbon (under the Portuguese Presidency of the Union), European leaders managed to reach agreement on a new treaty to further deepen our integration: the EU’s reform treaty or Treaty of Lisbon will be signed on 13 December, in Lisbon. The world is asking for more Europe, to contribute to peace and security worldwide, and Europe is willing and ready to take up this responsibility. The Treaty of Lisbon foresees new and more efficient instruments for the EU’s foreign and security policy and I am absolutely convinced that Europe will now be stronger to assume its role as a global player and to tackle, in cooperation with our partners, the challenges lying ahead of us.
Dear students,
I hope that I have managed, in these few minutes, to give you a sense of how intrinsically Luxembourg’s policies, in every field, and in particular in foreign relations, as that is of my competence, are linked to European policies, how closely Luxembourg and the European Union are intertwined. The European Union’s common positions in the field of external relations are the basis of the Luxembourg foreign policy, and we are proud and happy to contribute to the definition of these positions in our everyday work as Member State inside the Council of the EU. I also hope that I have been able to convey how the European Union has, over the last years, become a world player that it is willing to take its responsibilities on the global scene, in cooperation and coordination with our partners, and that we increasingly have the instruments to deliver on this commitment.
Thank you for your attention. I will be happy to answer all questions that you might have and I hope to see at least some of you in Luxembourg!