A transcript of a joint press conference given by the Prime Minister, Swedish Prime Minister Frederick Reinfeldt and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at Downing Street on 29 June 2009.
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Prime Minister:
Can I say, first of all, how pleased I am to welcome Prime Minister Reinfeldt and President Barroso to London today; Prime Minister Reinfeldt on the day before he takes over the presidency of the European Union. I believe that his presidency of the Council will mark major achievements over the next few months and we have just been talking about some of the challenges ahead. And can I congratulate President Barroso on being nominated by the Heads of Government as their unanimous candidate to be President of the Commission. We have supported you throughout and we continue to support your efforts as head of the Commission to take all the actions that are necessary to build a strong, fairer Europe.
We’ve been looking ahead at the challenges that Europe faces over these next few months. The first is that we have to find a pathway to higher growth, to come out of recession, to create jobs and to deliver sustainable growth.
The second is to find a forward to Copenhagen and to climate financing agreements that are necessary not just for us but for the developing world. As you know, I put proposals on Friday and I hope these will be part of a discussion that can lead to the July meeting that we’re having under President Obama’s chairmanship on climate finance, the September meeting of the G20 in Pittsburgh and then to a successful outcome at Copenhagen.
We also talked about the security issues that face our continent and face the whole world. Europe must continue to stand for democracy and human rights and so today we did discuss Iran. We are deeply disappointed that Iran has detained some of Britain’s staff in Tehran. Some have been now released, but we must now see that the others are set free to resume their work. Iran’s actions - first the expulsion of two diplomats and now the arrest of a number of our locally engaged staff - is unacceptable, unjustified and without foundation and we, with our international partners, will continue to make this clear to the Iranian regime. Prime Minister Reinfeldt.
Prime Minister Reinfeldt:
Thank you very much. Since we are counting hours, I can say we are now 48 hours away from Swedish presidency and, of course, to be in London is the perfect preparation, to meet with Prime Minister Brown and President Barroso. We have, of course, talked about the incoming Swedish presidency, as Prime Minister Brown mentioned, very much on climate change and on financial crisis.
I think with climate change I welcome the speech of Prime Minister Brown this Friday. We need initiative. We need to formulate a global answer. I think the political energy is now building up so that we can get the conclusion later this autumn. It will of course very much be looking at financing measures and we have been discussing them and I think we will be engaged in talks about that all through the autumn.
Then on financial crisis also, we will probably see in Europe a rise of unemployment this autumn and, unfortunately enough, probably in coming years. I was myself at a Jobcentre before coming to the Prime Minister and it looks very much like the efforts we are trying to see in Sweden, to be active, to meet the rise of unemployment, but of course it’s very important to coordinate our answers in Europe and especially this autumn on trying also to solve the financial crisis.
So, thank you.
Prime Minister:
Thank you very much. President Barroso.
EU Commission President Barroso:
Thank you very much. It was, in fact, an extremely good and constructive meeting this one today. I’d like to thank Prime Minister Brown and also Prime Minister Reinfeldt. Today was also about discussing Swedish presidency ideas for the next six months. We will, of course, support fully the Swedish presidency and the work of Prime Minister Reinfeldt.
Getting the economy back on track remains the top priority. I believe we are getting there. The G20 meeting in London chaired by Gordon Brown was a turning point. Avoiding a meltdown in the banking sector has saved thousands of jobs, but we also need to do all we can to give hope to those who have lost jobs and I believe here we can and should do more also at the European level. The single market is the backbone of the European economy and must be the cornerstone of our recovery. We need to preserve its integrity and see how it can deliver more.
Part of our meeting today was discussing about climate change - how can we get an ambitious deal in Copenhagen. Both Prime Ministers have shown true leadership on this issue. We share exactly the same objective: the highest level ambition possible at Copenhagen in December. That means that we also have to decide on financing and European unity will be decisive in making this deal happen. We have had a good discussion today on how to move forward based also on the very interesting proposals put forward by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. We will now work with the presidency and member states in the coming months to establish a strong and progressive European Union position on this important issue, having in mind precisely the meeting of the G8 in L’Aquila in Italy and the G20 later in Pittsburgh.
We are, of course, concerned at the Iran situation. I’d like to express my full solidarity with the United Kingdom. Intimidation and harassment are unacceptable and they will be met with a strong collective European Union response, as foreign ministers agreed and I think we can say that this was a very strong united European position.
Thank you.
Prime Minister:
Thank you very much. Questions?
Question:
A question for Prime Minister Brown. Here at the G20 meeting you pledged more international surveillance of the finance market. How come that you now, when proposals are on the table from the Commission, you have problems with those proposals? What are the chances during the autumn and the Swedish presidency to find a solution? What are you demanding for changes there?
Prime Minister:
The G20 proposals to strengthen financial surveillance are absolutely right not just for Europe but for the whole of the world and we want to see action in every continent. I am, in fact, supporting the European proposals. We agreed in Brussels last week that we needed European rules, we needed a proper audit system, and we needed to make sure that the rules were being implemented. We now go forward to look at the detailed proposals that arise from that, but I think there is general agreement in Europe now about the strengthening of financial surveillance and I know Prime Minister Reinfeldt is interested in this and will take this forward in what I believe will be a very successful Swedish presidency.
Question:
Britain and the EU had very strong words for Iran yesterday, but there are still some local staff who are detained. What actions can you take next to convince them to be released? Secondly, would you agree that if the EU takes any steps towards financial regulation that it should reflect that London is the financial capital and that Britain’s views are fully reflected in whatever comes out?
Prime Minister:
Let me just say, first of all, I’m grateful for the words from President Barroso today. The support and solidarity that has been given by the European Union for the problems that we face as a result of what is unjustified action by the Iranian regime. We are deeply disappointed and remain disappointed that Iran has held some of our locally engaged staff in Tehran. We want them to be set free so that they can continue their ordinary work and we will work with our international partners, and that includes the support that has been given by President Barroso, to continue to make this clear to the Iranian regime. This was discussed yesterday by all the foreign ministers of the European Union, all 27, and they agreed that this was both unjustified and that our diplomats and also the locally engaged staff should not be treated in this way.
As far as London is concerned, London is the home for perhaps 400 banks from the rest of Europe, so the proposals about the mediation that is to happen under the new regime is actually good news for London. It allows us to make sure that the regulations in member state countries and the regulations in London are in harmony so that we can move forward with better financial services in the future. So we have supported the proposals; the proposals will now form the basis of far more detailed work and as long as that work is within that framework we stand ready to support the conclusions.
EU Commission President Barroso:
I just want to confirm what he said. The City of London is very important for Britain but also for Europe and it is giving a very important contribution for jobs and growth not only here but in Europe. So in fact what is important is to have an agreed framework for financial supervision. That was obtained now and, in fact, it was with Britain’s and Prime Minister Brown’s leadership that we have achieved a broader consensus in the G20 here in London, so now we have the principles and now we are going to put forward some proposals that will respect, of course, the framework agreement that was agreed in the European Council and I think it is good news. It is good news for the financial markets because they have now legal certainty and it is also important because it is sensible supervision, sensible regulation and I think it can be a good contribution to increase the confidence in the financial markets.
Prime Minister Reinfeldt:
Basically, we have learnt we need coordinated answers and this is a global problem, but it’s definitely also a European problem. So to do something without this reflecting the City of London would, of course, not solve the basic financial crisis in itself. But as Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated, I think we got a good solution at the European Council summit and we will work this through the Swedish presidency to get it in place.
Question (Swedish Radio):
I would like to ask you about the climate change. Which are the worst differences or problems between the countries and which countries are also most able to move Mr Obama in the right direction when it comes to this? Thank you.
Prime Minister Reinfeldt:
Well, first of all, we learnt that the Waxman-Markey legislation now passed I think in the House of Representatives. We have, of course, to analyse and go through this. It’s an important new signal of President Obama that alters the direction of the United States. We will, of course, examine if it’s in accordance with what we have delivered on a European note, because this will be needed as part of the global response.
I’m pretty sure that President Obama, with his professional team put in place, is very interested and keen to show his leadership also on these issues and Europe will absolutely do its part during this autumn because they wait now in the world for a response from the world leaders, so the US and Europe going together is an important part of that.
EU Commission President Barroso:
I fully agree.
Prime Minister:
On climate change there is a unique opportunity at Copenhagen for Europe, America and the rest of the world to come together. I think every continent recognises the urgency of this. I think the proposals that are now being discussed on financing recognise that we’ve got to have a deal that suits both the developed and the developing countries. Of course there’s a lot of work to do, but I do believe the Swedish presidency will be able to take a great deal of this forward and I have every confidence in Prime Minister Reinfeldt’s willingness and determination to move this forward to Copenhagen.
Question:
A question to President Barroso. In your opinion, what are the most important issues that should be solved during the Swedish presidency? What do you expect from the Swedish presidency?
EU Commission President Barroso:
I think the most important international event will be the Copenhagen conference and to get an agreement here will be really crucial not only for this presidency, and I’m sure that Prime Minister Reinfeldt and his team will do great work. They are extremely committed to this success and we will, of course, work with them hand in hand, but for the next generations. So this is the most important event, the Copenhagen conference and I think it is the priority. But of course we have other issues. It’s a presidency that comes with economic, financial, and social crises, unemployment, and we have, hopefully, a solution for the Lisbon treaty during these six months. So it will be extremely charged, the plate will be extremely full and I wish you, Fredrick, and all your team all the best.
Prime Minister:
I think we all wish the Prime Minister well in what he does and we look forward to the Swedish presidency, which starts on Wednesday.
Thank you all very much.
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