E3G

L’Europa nel Mondo: Speech by British Ambassador

By Chris Littlecott

The debate came the day after the Security Council had been discussing Darfur. A conflict in which 200,000 people have already died and a conflict which also sees the same struggle between nomadic and pastoral communities over increasingly scarce resources.

This week the charity Christian Aid predicted that the effects of climate change could make at least one billion people homeless by 2050, with all the consequences that would have for security. The chilling phrase they used to describe the possible scenario was “a world of many more Darfurs”.

I believe this is an area where Europe is demonstrating real global leadership, and can continue to do so. The targets agreed at the European Spring Council on emissions, renewable energy and energy efficiency set an ambitious course for EU member states and laid down a challenge to other nations. Italy and the UK are now working closely together - along with Germany and France - to get the G8 to match this level of ambition.

If Europe over the last 50 years has been predominantly inward looking - developing the single market, its own institutions and so on - over the next 50 years it will become increasingly outward looking. It will be more and more concerned about its role in the world, about the challenges and opportunities of globalisation, and about its relationship with the economic powers of the US and, increasingly China.

The report produced by E3G is a very timely and interesting contribution to the debate we need to be having over Europe’s future direction. In addressing the challenges Europe faces in a globalised world - above all the issues of energy and climate change - and the need to connect Europe to its citizens the report touches on issues which are fundamental to the future direction of the European Union.

In marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome Prime Minister Prodi spoke of the need to celebrate what Europe had achieved and look ahead to “the Europe we still need to construct”. In doing so he identified the need to create a model of “peace, stability, solidarity and prosperity” to manage the social, economic and environmental challenges ahead. These are the challenges we face and which the UK and Italy can work together to tackle. I’m grateful for this contribution to the debate ahead and I hope today’s discussions can further strengthen the cooperation between the UK and Italy for the challenges to come.