It is my great pleasure and honour to join the distinguished Chairman and members of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs of the Oireachtas here today. The role of national parliaments has increased significantly since the Lisbon treaty. Interparliamentary co-operation is a key ingredient of an accountable EU. It enhances legitimacy and reduces democratic deficit. COSAC is an important platform of discussion among parliamentarians. I know the members of this committee were not able to join the first COSAC meeting in July in Bratislava but I hope they will be able to join their colleagues at the plenary meeting in November, especially as the voice of small countries is very important.
As the Slovak ambassador to Ireland, I feel especially privileged to present the priorities of the first Slovak Presidency in the Irish Parliament because the EU journey of my country started in Ireland. It is a historic fact that in 2004, the biggest EU enlargement ever took place in Ireland and became a hallmark of the Irish EU Presidency. It was the Oireachtas which had to ratify our accession. In 2004, Ireland prepared a generous welcome for the new member states. For that reason, I would like to start my presentation unconventionally by bringing closer those glorious days with the words of the most appropriate master, the great Irish bard, the late Seamus Heaney, who wrote a poem dedicated to the accession of the new member states and recited it in the Phoenix Park in May 2004. I apologise in advance for my Irish language pronunciation. I will do my best to pronounce them correctly. The poem, "Beacons at Bealtaine", reads:
Uisce: water. And fionn: the water's clear.
But dip and find this Gaelic water Greek:A phoenix flames upon fionn uisce here.
Strangers were barbaroi to the Greek ear.Now let the heirs of all who could not speakThe language, whose ba-babbling was unclear,
Come with their gift of tongues past each frontierAnd find the answering voices that they seekAs fionn and uisce answer phoenix here.
The May Day hills were burning, far and near,When our land's first footers beached boats in the creekIn uisce, fionn, strange words that soon grew clear;
So on a day when newcomers appearLet it be a homecoming and let us speakThe unstrange word, as it behoves us here,
Move lips, move minds and make new meanings flareLike ancient beacons signalling, peak to peak,From middle sea to north sea, shining clearAs phoenix flame upon fionn uisce here.
I do not want to dare to interpret the great master, but what I feel from his verses is a sense of unity and optimism and I cannot shake off the feeling that we are sometimes lacking such ingredients these days.
After 12 years of EU membership, Slovakia is honoured to lead the Union. The Presidency is a milestone in the history of Slovakia on the bumpy road since independence in 1993. Now we have a good story to tell. It began with our predecessors' dream to be part of a free and democratic world and continued with our integration into the European family of nations, with which we are bound by our rich history, diverse cultures and common values. Indeed, "back to Europe” was one of the principal credos of the Tender Revolution in 1989, when we obliterated a brutal undemocratic regime with peaceful means. It was a voice of our European identity. We are proud to call the EU our home, the euro our currency and Schengen our area. The EU provides us with security, stability and prosperity. We are grateful for that because we were given a lot. Now it is time to finish the story by giving something back.
We will not have it easy. We joined the Union at a time when optimism about the European project was at its peak, but we have taken over the Presidency at a time when passion for EU membership has been replaced by euroscepticism and enlargement fatigue, a fragmented and individualistic approach is winning over unity and joint action, radicalism and extremism are putting pressure on mainstream parties with their easy solutions to complex problems, the economic and financial crisis has shattered our trust in the euro and our economic foundations, our high expectations of brighter futures for our eastern and southern neighbours are appearing quite distant, migration has touched upon our humanism and capacity to help the rest of the world and one country has decided to leave the Union.
The EU has become a victim of its own success. The benefits of EU membership are perceived as granted or are downplayed. The Union's shortcomings are often blown out of proportion or presented in a deliberately misleading and negative manner. On the other hand, there are sometimes tendencies to procrastinate and to offer pseudo-solutions, which solve nothing or make things worse. All in all, it is a perfect breeding ground for populists, political soldiers of fortune and those who are not happy about the strength and success of the European project. We have failed to communicate the benefits of the Union to our citizens. We should not hide behind complicated language but rather talk simply and clearly. We must talk the language of ordinary people rather than the language of technocrats, lawyers and bureaucrats.
We should also think of new and more attractive ways of engaging the wider public in EU affairs. Our communication strategy must be tailor-made depending on the situation and audience. The EU is not only formed by Brussels and its institutions but also by its member states and citizens. Therefore, the main driving force behind the EU’s renovation process shall be the member states. In an open and honest dialogue with the EU institutions, we should adopt strategic decisions accepted across the wider political spectrum because it is about member states understanding best what their citizens need. This is a serious task but we must keep calm and act in unity. All ongoing crises - not only Brexit - are a reminder that the EU and its benefits cannot be taken for granted. There is no longer enough confidence among Europeans that the EU can deliver. People fear loss of safety, identity and prosperity. Some surveys suggest that the EU does not do well on migration and the economy. Our citizens fear most that EU elites will not be able to cope with all the challenges we face. It is time to take an honest look at the union and ourselves. It is obvious that the practical and political consequences of the UK referendum will dominate the EU agenda in the coming months. We want to maintain the best possible relationship with the UK. Although we do not wish to prolong the time of uncertainty, we understand that no negotiations can start without the UK’s notification of its withdrawal in the context of Article 50. Slovakia has had positive experience in the split-up of the then Czechoslovak Federation when, regardless of many emotions, the swift negotiation process was dominated by responsibility and good agreements. Those settlements were favourable for both parties and later became an important base for the following good relationship between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Furthermore, self-reflection has become a must, not an option. There is an urgent need to jointly reflect on the future direction of the union in 27-country format. Our Presidency will convene an informal summit on 16 September in Bratislava, where Ireland will be represented by the Taoiseach.
Constructive and open dialogue about the challenges the EU is facing has never been more needed. Brexit should not dominate the summit discussions. We want to focus on security in all its forms – economic security, employment, internal security and terrorism - but also the gap of communication between the EU institutions, member states and citizens. I am sure what we all want is a modern and forward-looking Europe, a Europe of and for citizens. There is much more that unites us than divides us but we must simplify the way we talk. We must be much clearer in explaining to our citizens why the European Union is a solution and not a problem, why it is a friend and not an enemy and why it has no alternative whatsoever.
Our Presidency programme does not even pretend to contain a miraculous prescription for all EU problems but the European citizen is at the heart of our programme. We see ourselves as an honest broker, which should continue in all the previous projects and move them as far as possible and pass over to the next Presidency, which will be Malta, with a clear balance sheet. Six months of a Presidency is too short to be over-ambitious or unrealistic and we want to be pragmatic and realistic. Rome was not built in a day and a better, more effective and comprehensible Europe will not be either. The Schuman Declaration already acknowledged this in 1950 when it said, "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity." With this aim, our Presidency intends to be pragmatic, because it is time to deliver concrete and tangible results; uniting, since we must overcome fragmentation and the individual approach in Europe; and the people's voice as we need to deal with the real problems of our people such as the economy, jobs, security, migration and terrorism. To achieve this, we have four ambitions: to make the economy stronger; to modernise and broaden the Single Market in areas such as energy and the digital economy; to work towards sustainable migration and asylum policy; and to pay attention to our external environment.
Despite the signs of recovery in the European economy after the crisis, full and sustainable recovery requires further incentives. Our first priority area is thus focused on initiatives aimed at creating a supportive environment for the investments and further development of the union. The Slovak Presidency is convinced that efficient use of the investment instruments and pursuing structural reforms and promoting a responsible approach to public finances are at the heart of an economically strong Europe. The Economic and Monetary Union remains incomplete. Therefore, the Slovak Presidency will support the implementation of the actions that will give positive momentum to its completion. The economic crisis has shown that to enable the union to better deal with economic shocks it is necessary to deepen the Economic and Monetary Union. The completion of the banking union is an important tool for the stabilisation of the banking sector. The Presidency will pursue discussions on the European deposit insurance scheme which it sees as essential for improving the protection of depositors and for financial stability. To boost investment, the Slovak Presidency will strive to strengthen the investment potential of the European Fund for Strategic Investments. The Presidency will develop further the proposals contained in the recent communication of the Commission, the aim of which is to ensure the delivery of the maximum investment potential of the fund.
The Slovak Presidency will also support innovative and alternative sources of finance for companies among other means through the capital markets union. The capital markets union aims to open up alternative sources of finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, which we deem to be very important and necessary, because they currently rely mainly on bank loans. The main result will be the gradual elimination of the remaining barriers to cross-border flows of capital which will reduce the fragmentation of financial markets in Europe.
A supportive environment is a key precondition for the development and implementation of the European projects that are the main elements of the modern Single Market. The Single Market is considered the greatest achievement of the European Union and the Slovak Presidency intends to support further development of the projects such as the digital Single Market and energy union. Free movement of data has the unique potential to remove barriers and create more opportunities for innovative businesses and for all citizens, for instance in rural areas. That is why we wish to make it a fifth EU freedom.
When it comes to concrete actions to pursue this objective, Slovakia will prioritise the elimination of barriers to the digital economy, the facilitation of the use of electronic services and access to the market, the availability of electronic content, as well as a high level of consumer protection. Goals such as the removal of roaming charges or geo-blocking are attractive and understandable to the wider public and can highlight the real benefits of the EU to the public. To stress the commitment to the digital Single Market, the Slovak Presidency will host the 2016 Digital Assembly on 28 September and 29 September in Bratislava. This high level meeting will bring together officials from member states and institutions, policy makers, and stakeholders to exchange ideas and promote an innovative environment. The ambition of the Slovak Presidency is to contribute to the creation of a resilient and competitive Energy union, with the main focus on energy security. The Presidency will thus support efforts to improve energy security.
Ambitious policy in the area of climate change, with a correct set-up of the emissions trading system and a trend towards a low-carbon economy is an integral part of the energy union. The Slovak Presidency will promote development of measures directed towards the circular economy. Our objective is to reduce waste production, protect the environment and use natural resources such as water efficiently.
The ambition of the Slovak Presidency is to move Europe towards a sustainable migration and asylum policy. It is obvious that migration will remain an urgent issue not only during our Presidency, but also in years to come. It does not represent a seasonal or local but a long-lasting and global problem. The upcoming migration summit in New York on 19 September is a great opportunity not to be missed. The migration crisis does not have an isolated European solution.
At the same time, we must realise that Europe must be the key part of a new global approach. We can help resolve the issue only through joint EU-wide efforts and at the United Nations summit on migration by having one strong and leading voice. To this end, the Slovak Presidency will promote comprehensive and sustainable solutions linking up relevant internal and external aspects.
Let us not narrow this complex problem to a single initiative, namely, the distribution of refugees. The Schengen area is one of the greatest benefits of European integration but it is not currently fulfilling its essential role, which is to ensure the free movement of citizens and goods. The Slovak Presidency regards the return to a fully functioning Schengen area as its main objective. The protection of the European Union's external borders is a key precondition to fulfil this objective. The Slovak Presidency will actively contribute to the deployment of the European border and coast guard.
Wider use of modern technology at the external borders is needed. The Slovak Presidency supports smart borders and their implementation will facilitate the handling of passengers, contribute to the fight against irregular migration and strengthen the internal security of the Union. Co-operation with third countries, namely, the countries of transit and origin of migrants, forms an integral part of a comprehensive approach to migration. The Slovak Presidency will focus on eliminating the causes of migration and will encourage the development of targeted strategies to deal with the mass movement of people. The migration and refugee crisis has led to reflections on the future of the joint European asylum system. The Slovak Presidency feels a strong responsibility for further developments in this debate and wishes it to move forward in those areas where there is agreement among member states. Legal migration should be a means of attracting highly qualified migrants wherever they are needed for our growing economies.
The Presidency will encourage an ambitious approach to internal security. The main preconditions are improved information exchange, increased operational co-operation and mutual co-ordination among the police and judicial authorities of the member states.
Supporting the reinforcement of the global role of the European Union is the intention of the Slovak Republic within the fourth priority area. The Slovak Presidency will support the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Federica Mogherini. In the next period, the Union will focus on implementation of the global new EU strategy for foreign and security policy which will reinforce the role of the Union in the world, help face complex challenges and contribute to stabilising its neighbourhood.
Stability in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods of the EU has been significantly weakened in recent years. The Slovak Presidency will, therefore, promote an effective European neighbourhood policy. The enlargement policy is an effective means of ensuring a democratic transition for integrating countries and, in this regard, Slovakia can speak from experience. With a view to strengthening the policy's credibility, the Presidency will seek to maintain the momentum of the accession process and achieve concrete progress in the candidate countries.
The Presidency will also actively engage in strengthening transatlantic ties and developing relations with other strategic partners of the EU. Active engagement on the global scene must include strong trade links with key global economies. The Slovak Presidency will focus on bilateral free trade agreements with third countries.
According to different polls, Slovaks believe the European Union is still the best solution for Europe and its citizens. The EU is a visionary project which has brought unrivalled stability, solidarity and prosperity to Europe. We seem to forget or take this for granted, however, and we accept the caricature of the Union in the media as a bureaucratic institution with an army of clerks who ponder over the shape of bananas or the size of pickles. This is not the EU we live in and whose benefits we enjoy daily. Everyone in this room knows the European Union is a solution, rather than a problem and to which there is no alternative, despite its imperfections. However, we need to find ways to convince those who remain unconvinced, many of whom are our fellow citizens outside this room.
Let me assure members that in pursuing our priorities, the Slovak Presidency will be an honest and fair broker. I hope for the joint committee's support for our Presidency because only in close co-operation with the representatives of legislative bodies can we meet our common goals towards a better Union. I thank members for their attention.
