Brussels, 07/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - As part of the “reflection phase” on the future of Europe, launched by the European Council in June 2005, the presidents of the seven countries of the European Union (Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Austria, Finland and Germany) met on 5 February in Dresden to debate the EU's problems and challenges and hold discussions with around one hundred students who had just presented their vision of Europe. The meeting of the seven presidents (the third of this kind, after that in Portugal in 2003 and in Finland in 2005) was organised by the German president, Horst Köhler.
Köhler declared at the end of the meeting that unemployment remained Europe's biggest problem. With the Lisbon strategy, the EU took some good strategic decisions but it is now necessary for Member States to do their work and apply the necessary socio-economic reforms. Mr Köhler also said that “Europe is freedom, combined with social justice”. During discussions with the presidents, the students put forward concrete proposals to improve European competitiveness (for example: reserving 5% of the EU's GDP for research and development) or creating and developing the European identity of young people (for example: introducing compulsory courses on Europe in schools; strengthening exchange programmes, not only for students but for all sections of the European population; electing a president of the EU; launching a European television chain). According to Köhler, the seven presidents meeting in Dresden were able to support the majority of these proposals.
The presidents also condemned the escalation in violence following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed in some European newspapers. While calling for “respect for religious feelings” (see other article), Mr Köhler asserted that “threats are unacceptable no matter what the circumstances are…but responsibility and respect for others and their religious feelings are also part of freedom”. The Austrian president, Heinz Fischer, whose country is currently in charge of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, also appealed for calm. He underlined that “it is important that in the European Union we speak with a single voice on this issue”. Latvian president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, described hatred and violence as not being the correct responses to these caricatures, “people of good will must find a way of building bridges for encouraging mutual understanding”, she pleaded. The next meeting of the seven presidents is in 2007 in Latvia.