Brussels, 19/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - At the annual conference of the EPC (European Policy Centre) on Wednesday 17 June, the Swedish foreign affairs minister stressed the need for the European Union to invest in research into new technology, because after the current economic turbulence, Europe will not automatically resume the same economic rank it held before the crisis. Stressing that only Finland and Sweden had achieved the target of 3% GNI invested in research, Carl Bildt regretted the fact that the Community average is still around 1.9% and that the Lisbon objective to make Europe the most developed knowledge-based economy of the world will not be achieved by 2010. Having welcomed the positive impact of the euro, which is "a blessing" for the members of the euro zone and of great service to their neighbours, the Swedish minister reiterated the major challenges which await the European economies: amongst others, the ageing population and migration.
Although recognizing the need for a debate over enlargement, Carl Bildt also believes that we must "not play down the transformational impact of our opening-up to the rest of Europe". There are many candidates knocking on the door of the Union and accepting certain countries could pose a greater challenge than Turkey, said the minister, referring to the strength of the nationalist forces in a number of countries. For the time being, the most pressing challenge remains the division of Cyprus. Carl Bildt said that he was "convinced that both leaders genuinely want to reach agreement" and called on the institutions of the EU to be ready to help to implement it. The Union for the Mediterranean and the Eastern Partnership are "policies of great strategic significance for our future", he said, going on to stress the importance of Africa and the Middle East for the direct neighbourhood of the Union. Lastly, we must not ignore either the East (the 12 countries which separate us from China) or the North (Iceland's candidacy will mean the EU must face new stakes: new maritime roots, natural resources and the environment). (O.J./transl.fl)