Press Conference in Lisbon
19 October 2007
Gordon Brown has pointed to the future and the EU's "new priorities" following the conclusion of the EU Council meeting in Lisbon.
Read the transcript
Prime Minister:
Thank you very much for joining us for this press briefing. The Informal Council has just finished its meeting in the last few minutes and there are really two issues I want to raise with you. But first of all this is a summit in which we have defended the British national interest, we have ensured that all the protections that we set out to achieve in the amending treaty have been agreed. Britain will make the decisions on justice and home affairs, on common foreign and security policy, on social security and on security, as I laid down with the red lines that we have set out before. We have rejected any further amendments to the treaty, we have fought off any attempts to change the treaty in a way that would not defend the national interest in the way that I have set out before.
And I am now happy to have the fullest possible parliamentary debate on all the details of the amending treaty. I am happy that there is full and proper consideration of all the issues that have been raised in all the different areas that have been set before us, and I believe that the debate will show that at all points we have defended the British national interest while making it possible for Europe to respond to the larger membership of 27 members with an amending treaty that changes some of the arrangements.
I believe the second achievement of this summit, is in the long run, even more important for the future of Britain and of Europe. We have agreed that there are new priorities for the future. We have agreed that we should rule out further institutional change for years ahead. We have agreed that there is to be a declaration of new priorities to come before the December Council, that Europe will move away from the institutional inward looking debate of the past to deal with the full agenda of globalisation that faces us, and that the discussions will be about jobs, about prosperity, about how we can deal with environmental challenges, how we can respond to the changing needs of the world economy in the interests of the citizens of Britain.
So the Presidency will say today that, with a view for the decisions at the December European Council, they will consult about a new declaration of new priorities for the European Union, they will say that these new priorities are the agenda of globalisation and how we can all meet it, and they will say that they will consult on a declaration about ruling out further institutional change for many years. They will also consult on work related to issues of globalisation and related topics on Europe in 2030, but that discussion will exclude all institutional issues and foreign and defence policy as well.
And as a measure of the way in which we want to move the agenda on, and the members of the European Council agreed to do so, France, Germany and the UK are publishing today their proposals on the financial issues arising from recent turbulent events in the world. The European Council Presidency supports these proposals and we are calling for greater transparency in financial markets, we are calling for a better early warning system so that we are better prepared for potential turbulence in the future. We are calling for a review of the role of rating agencies and the conflicting responsibilities that sometimes they have, and we are calling for better financial stability measures not just in Europe, but better financial stability measures in the world community as a whole. And we will take forward this work over the next few weeks and months so that Europe, but also the world, including America, we are better prepared for any financial turbulence in the future.
So I believe the significance of this summit is that there will be new priorities for Europe. The agenda will be tackling the challenges of globalisation. We will rule out further institutional change and we will get on with the business that I believe all citizens of Europe want us to address, and that is making sure that there are jobs and there is prosperity and there are higher standards of living and more secure and stable and sustainable environmental conditions for the citizens of our country and the citizens of other countries as well.
Just one final point. England will play in the Rugby International tomorrow in Paris against South Africa and I am looking forward to being the guest of President Sarkozy at that match. I know he is looking forward to being there with me tomorrow as well, but there was general support that the European team - that is the England team - should be given all the support of our fellow members of the Council.
Question:
Prime Minister are you saying that this summit is basically the full stop to European integration?
Prime Minister:
I will not support further institutional change over the next period. As some of you may know, the European Treaty itself, the amending treaty, the provisions of it in many cases do not come into force until 2017, of course they have got to be ratified before they could ever come into force, but some of the provisions don't come into force until 2017. I believe that there is no need for further institutional change in Europe and I believe we should get on with the business of trying to build stronger economies and try to build better environments for the people of Europe.
Question:
Prime Minister after this was signed last night everyone seemed to be drinking champagne. We couldn't quite identify whether you were toasting it or not. It is a trivial point but the substantial point is this. Do you consider this treaty unequivocally a good thing for Britain and if so specifically why?
Prime Minister:
The treaty is a treaty that will make it possible for a European Union of 27 people to work together. You could not succeed with the old institutional arrangements that had been created first of all for a Union or a Common Market of 6 people, it has got to change to accommodate the needs of meeting the challenges of getting 27 people round the table and getting agreements on particular issues. But at all points I have been absolutely insistent that the British national interest is protected. I believe that we will show that we have protected that national interest in every single one of the areas where people have raised questions, and I believe those that have asked us to be absolutely insistent that the safeguards are maintained in the final details of the documents will find that we have actually been totally vigilant and we have achieved our work. And therefore I am going to welcome extensive parliamentary scrutiny of what we have done and what we have achieved. So the treaty is necessary because it is an amending treaty to make possible a union of 27 countries which I believe all parties in the United Kingdom actually support a wider Union, including eastern Europe. But at all points the British national interest has been defended and I believe I will be able to show that it is Britain that will make the decisions on the vital issues, and whether it is through our opt-in or through our protocol we have been properly protected and over the last day we have rejected any proposals that we believed would not be in line with the British national interest.
Question:
Prime Minister you have said you welcome a debate on this treaty. How then do you respond to Mr Cameron's claim today that you have no mandate to sign up to this treaty and that by refusing a referendum you are treating the British people like fools? And could I please ask you separately, how concerned are you about the bomb attack on Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan and what that might mean for that country?
Prime Minister:
If people look at the details of the amending treaty they will show that at every point where there has been an issue raised we have defended and protected the British national interest. I have said before, if this was a decision about the euro we would have had a referendum, if this was a decision about the old treaty we would have had a referendum, but because there is no fundamental change, because at every point we have safeguarded the British national interest then people will be able to see for themselves in the detailed parliamentary debate that I am not only going to welcome but make possible in parliament that we have defended the national interest. And I believe that that is the answer to those people who criticise what we have done. We have defended the British national interest at every point and we have rejected any proposals in the last day that we believed were harmful in any way to the British national interest.
It is a tragedy that so many people have died in Pakistan and I have sent my condolences to President Musharraf. It is a tragedy that these events have happened as people have been planning elections in Pakistan. I send my condolences also to the families and relatives of all those who are victims. Some of these will be people who have families and relatives in the United Kingdom. We have opened a hotline so that we can give people advice if any of their family or relatives have been affected by these events. But the message must go out that we will not tolerate this terrorist violence, we will give support to the Pakistani authorities in dealing with those terrorists who have caused the bombings, and we will support at all times the attempts by the Pakistani people to re-establish a democracy in their country.
Question:
Prime Minister can you give us your opinion on whether Tony Blair would be a good candidate for the first Permanent President of the EU?
Prime Minister:
Tony Blair would be a great candidate for any significant international job. And as you know, the work that he is doing in the Middle East is something that is of huge international importance. But I have to say on the issue of the Presidency of the Council there has been no discussion of this and it is premature to have any discussion because these amending treaties have still got to be ratified by the parliaments of the individual countries. There is of course only one referendum - one in Ireland - but the treaties have still got to be ratified by every parliament and there will be no discussion of names and individuals until that happens.
Question:
Prime Minister you say you have defended the national interest and you have seen off all attempts to change the treaty in a way you didn't like. Can you be very specific about who in the last 24 hours has attempted to weaken our red lines, and specifically which red lines would they want to weaken? And secondly, you say you want to rule out institutional change for the coming years, how long do you wish to rule out institutional change?
Prime Minister:
I have said that I don't see many of the provisions that are in this amending treaty coming in until 2017, so we would rule out institutional change for many years ahead. And I have made it absolutely clear to my colleagues that there is no desire I believe, not just in Britain but in other parts of Europe, for further institutional change for many years ahead. And I think you will find that in the Presidency summing up of the discussions they will say that they are now going to consult on a declaration that would rule out further institutional change for many years, and we will certainly be very keen for that to happen. Now as far as the initial question that you put, there were proposals that came at the last minute, some of them from the European parliament, some of them from individual member states. One of them would have affected the common foreign and security policy and we were not prepared to tolerate that change, another one would have affected the role of the European Parliament and we were not prepared to tolerate that change because the functions that were being talked about were intergovernmental. So at every point, whether it is the common foreign and security policy, or whether it is justice and home affairs, when any issue has been raised the question that we have had to deal with is we have made it absolutely clear on our red lines that we will safeguard the British national interest and I defy anyone to prove that we have done anything other than that by the successful negotiations and the very tough and detailed and long negotiations that we have had not just in the last day but over these last few months since the basic declaration of Brussels. These have been long, detailed, tough negotiations and they have been at a very high level of intensity, but I believe we can prove that we have secured the British national interest.
Question:
... on Turkey joining, what are the implications?
Prime Minister:
The talks with Turkey will go ahead as planned and that is the outcome of the discussions that we have had. I will meet the Turkish Prime Minister next week and it may be that after I have met him there is something more I can say about these issues.
Question:
Prime Minister you have just said that if we were being asked to join the euro you would give us a referendum, but I am sure while you have been browsing through this treaty, reforming the treaties, you will have noticed that the currency of the Union will be the euro. It also says pending the euro becoming the currency of all member states, it is quite clear where we are heading so will you give us a referendum?
Prime Minister:
We are not joining the euro. The Maastricht Treaty negotiated by the previous Conservative government had all these provisions about the euro in it, but we decided when we debated these issues and carried out a huge and detailed assessment that it was not in the British national interest to join the euro. That is still the position of the Government. If there was any suggestion we join the euro there would be a referendum. There is no proposal that Britain joins the euro.
Question:
I just wondered if you could give us your views on the 'wise men's group' that Mr Sarkozy in particular is very keen to set up. You mentioned some of the areas that it wouldn't look at, but do you think this group might be an excuse to try to close Europe's door to future enlargements, including for Turkey?
Prime Minister:
Well this is a group, an ideas group that is to look at Europe in 2030. It excludes discussion of institutional issues and it will exclude discussion of foreign and defence policy and the Presidency is now merely consulting in what people's attitude is to a remit for that group or whether it should happen. And that is the issue that will be dealt with at the December Council. But to be frank with you, the Presidency will be saying in a few minutes that they will consult with a view to proposing a declaration on the new priorities, the agenda of globalisation and ruling out further institutional change for many years, and that is the first communication from the discussions this morning that they will be bringing to you later this afternoon.
Question:
Did the subject of sovereign funds come up in discussions this morning and do you recognise reports that Britain and France are at odds on how to deal with this issue in a consensual approach?
Prime Minister:
Well I talked about all the issues of the recent financial turmoil in the discussions we had this morning and I proposed that we need to make the financial stability forum an early warning system for the world economy, we need to be in a better position to anticipate events and particularly events such as the turmoil of the last few weeks and months. The issue of sovereign funds was raised in the discussion but the general position of the Council, and it is reflected in the statement by France, Germany and the UK today, is that the answer to this is transparency, that we have more knowledge of what is being invested and where, rather than over-regulation. And the issue of transparency is what runs through the discussions this morning and the letter from France, Germany and Britain this afternoon.
Question:
Given that your government's position is still strongly in favour of Turkish membership of the EU, how can you rule out institutional change when Turkey will become the largest country in the EU in terms of its population?
Prime Minister:
I think you misunderstand what I am talking about, it is internal institutional change of the European Union. Issues of enlargement have got to be dealt with in the normal way. So this is internal institutional change, exactly the sort of change that is talked about in the amending treaty document. As far as Turkey is concerned the negotiations move ahead and there is no setback to them at all.
Question:
Do you anticipate any problems at all getting the legislation for the treaty through parliament? And could I ask again, did any champagne pass your lips last night, did you even raise a glass to toast the success of the negotiations, and if not, why not?
Prime Minister:
I didn't drink champagne last night, but I didn't drink it the night before either, and I doubt if I will be drinking it tonight. The issue of the House of Commons, I do anticipate very detailed debate, I do anticipate a very prolonged discussion about some of the issues, and I do anticipate that we will be able to show that at every point we have defended the British national interest. So I welcome the debate, I look forward to the opportunity to explaining how we have defended the British national interest, I look forward to showing how Britain will make the decisions on the key issues while we have ensured that all the protections that we set out to achieve have indeed been achieved.
Question:
Now you have secured all your four red lines, are you absolutely categorically ruling out the possibility of a referendum on the treaty?
Prime Minister:
I said before the Brussels summit, and I said it widely and I said it to large numbers of people, some of you who are here, that if we secured these red lines, in other words if we protected the national interests in a way that nobody could suggest that Britain would not make the decisions on these issues, then there was no fundamental change taking place. And so when the Brussels Declaration said the constitutional concept had been abandoned, and we show that as far as Britain is concerned in all these specific areas that we have won special exemptions for Britain, then I think the case that we put to the British people is that this is something that can be dealt with in detail in parliament and people can see for themselves how we have defended the British national interest. I repeat, if this had been a euro decision or if it had been a decision on the old treaty there would have been a referendum. Because we have removed those items in the previous treaty where we were unhappy and where we have secured changes, I believe we can make the case that the British national interest has been fully defended.
Question:
What was the discussion about the state of the world economy at the moment, particularly the weak dollar, high oil prices? Can you give us a general impression? And also what message did you ask Alistair Darling to send to Washington DC this weekend?
Prime Minister:
Well as you know we have the G7 meeting, we have the IMF meeting and we have the World Bank meeting in the next day, and I think people will be aware that the recent financial turbulence will affect growth in the world economy, but particularly growth in the G7 areas of the world. I have seen that the American economic growth forecast has been downgraded by almost 1%; the British forecast has been downgraded but by a very small amount in comparison with that. So the expectation is that events in America will affect the rest of the G7 economy and at all times - and this is the message - we will ensure that the stability that we have achieved over these last 10 years is maintained and we will do that by ensuring that there is proper surveillance of what is happening in the financial markets, that there is a complete determination to bear down on inflation, particularly when we see oil prices rising so much, and that we will maintain our course of financial stability which has served us well over the last 10 years.
Question:
Just to press you once more on Turkey, I can't understand how you cannot have further institutional change if a country as large as Turkey with 80 million members joins, and therefore I am not sure whether it is really possible for you to rule out institutional change?
Prime Minister:
I just have to say to you that enlargement has happened without the Single European Act, without the Nice Treaty, without the Amsterdam Treaty, without now the Amending Treaty that has been signed. So it is possible for enlargement to happen without having to have massive institutional treaties such as the proposal would have been in the Single European Act. I believe that we can move forward with the enlargement discussions without having a treaty that is similar to the Single European Act, and that is what I am explaining. When we talk about all institutional issues we mean the type of institutional change that was contained in the Single European Act, the Amsterdam Treaty, the Nice Treaty and now the Amending Treaty that we are bringing forward. And it has been possible over these years to have enlargement without having the Amending Treaty such as this being necessary to achieve that enlargement itself.
Question:
The United Kingdom was the first country to say that it won't be present in December in the summit with Africa if Robert Mugabe will be here. Now the Czech Republic also threatens not to be present. Don't you think there is a risk that if this process goes on with other countries following the process that the United Kingdom started?
Prime Minister:
Well I am not calling for the summit to be cancelled, what I am saying is that Britain will not be present at these discussions at a Prime Ministerial level, and the reason is we are not prepared to sit down at the same table as Mugabe, we do not approve of the record on human rights, he is under sanctions in relation to the European Union and we cannot tolerate what has happened to the Zimbabwe people as a result of his mis-management of the country. So we will not sit down at the table with him.
Question: (Portuguese News Agency)
Regarding the EU summit with Africa also, have you gained the support of other European leaders in this meeting yesterday and today?
Prime Minister:
Which summit are you talking about - EU/Africa?
Question:
With Africa, yes, on their position about the participation of Mugabe?
Prime Minister:
I have throughout said that my decision on this is that I will not go to this summit. It is a matter for other countries to decide what they wish to do, but I will not sit down at the same table as President Mugabe and I want to send a message out that we, Britain, will not tolerate the human rights abuses that he has been responsible for.
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