Chirac's Berlin speech

President Chirac: Full speed ahead for Europe

French President Jacques Chirac outlined his ambitious vision of the future of the European Union in his address to the Bundestag in Berlin.

The following are excerpts from his televised address:

The European Union is today the world's top economic and trading power. It is a giant in research and innovation. The co-operation, emulation and synergy between France and Germany have been one of its most powerful driving forces...

Today, when groups are being created which are capable of gaining the upper hand in global competition, the Germans and the French are quite naturally turning to each other.

We have entered an historic phase with the adoption of the euro, a project also conducted from the outset by the Franco-German partnership and which is a success.

Reform of European institutions is absolutely vital

President Jacques Chirac

With the Euro, we have consolidated the unification of the great European market and have provided ourselves with a formidable mechanism for accelerating trade.

We have firmly fixed in the minds of our fellow citizens their membership of a single economic - and, beyond that, a political and human - entity.

Institutional reform

In three days time, France will take over the presidency of the European Union.

It will have the responsibility of carrying through decisions regarding the future. I have in mind, of course, the main one: the absolutely vital reform of our common institutions which we shall conduct with the support of our German partners.

Our common responsibility, as founding members, is to ask ourselves over and over again the question of the meaning and future of Europe, to never allow our will to weaken.

EU enlargement is an achievement for peace and democracy

Jacques Chirac

My first conviction is that EU enlargement is a great, legitimate and necessary ambition. That is under way.

It will be difficult, for candidate countries and member states alike. Tomorrow, however, there will be 30 or more of us round the table in Brussels and represented in Strasbourg.

This is an achievement for peace and democracy, which are rooted in our continent and which give all its meaning to our common venture, for candidate countries, sustained in their pursuit of freedom by the hope of joining us, for the union itself which will become stronger, politically and economically.

Another of my convictions is that the pace of European construction cannot be decreed. It results, largely, from the advance, amongst our people, of a sense of European identity and belonging, of their desire to live together in a united community.

National sovereignty

To say that there are, on one hand, those who defend national sovereignty and, on the other, those who sell it cheaply, is to distort the truth.

Neither you nor I are considering the creation of a super-European state which would replace our nation states and mark their demise as actors on the international scene.

Our nations are the source of our identities and our roots. The diversity of their political, cultural and political traditions represents one of the strengths of our Union. For our people, nations will remain the main references for the foreseeable future.

Two-speed Europe

Within an enlarged Europe we must also ensure that we retain constantly the ability to press ahead, to open new avenues.

To achieve this, as we did in the past, those countries that want to proceed further with integration, on a voluntary basis and in specific areas, should be able to do so without being held back by those which, with every right, do not wish to proceed as swiftly.

Make France and Germany the driving force of a powerful European industrial centre

Jacques Chirac

The powerhouse Europe, which we sincerely call for, this Europe, strong on the international scene, must have strong institutions and an efficient and legitimate decision-making process, that is giving all its significance to the majority vote and reflecting the relative weight of member states.

Franco-German friendship

In order for European integration to move forwards, we must constantly strengthen the Franco-German friendship.

I believe our priority must be to encourage still further this strong momentum towards integration between our economic capabilities and to make the Franco-German duo the driving force of a powerful European industrial centre.

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