The 20th Economic Forum opened on Wednesday (8 September) in Krynica, Poland with a message of optimism from the Commission president.
The four-day event, hosted every year in this small spa town close to the Polish-Slovak border, gathers officials and representatives of large companies, NGOs and the media from across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and neighbouring countries
Barroso, the first prominent panellist, was faced with a difficult question: why should the EU's 'Europe 2020' strategy for jobs and growth succeed where its predecessor, the Lisbon Strategy, had failed?
The first reason he gave was the changed context: today, thanks in no small part to the economic crisis, nobody doubts the interdependence of Europe and the world. There is great awareness of the need to ''think European and act globally,'' he said.
On a similar note, the Commission president talked about a heightened sense of urgency that had gripped Europe. On a global level, the EU is facing ever stiffer competition, and therefore must adapt to this highly competitive new environment.
Whereas the Lisbon Strategy set macroeconomic targets for the EU, Europe 2020 focuses on holistic goals, he explained. Increased competitiveness and social and environmental obligations are linked to the completion of the common market.
In this context, the 'Single Market Act', set to be unveiled by the Commission this autumn, will be an important milestone, he said. Barroso expressed hope that the Act would be implemented during the Polish Presidency in the second half of 2011.
Buzek: Lisbon Treaty has EU standing on four legs
Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament and a former Polish prime minister, opened the first panel session with a metaphor: with the Lisbon Treaty in force, the EU is like a table standing firmly on four legs. It has an executive - the Commission - which acts as a form of European government. It has a parliament with two houses – the Parliament and the Council – which adopt European legislation. And it has the European Council, now a formal institution, which has a ''collective president'' deciding on the future strategic direction of the Union, Buzek said.
The Lisbon Treaty is absolutely the right response to the hopes and concerns of European citizens, added recently-elected Polish President Bronislav Komorowski.
The Polish leader outlined his country's priorities for its 2011 EU presidency, listing foreign and security policy, strengthening economic competitiveness and energy solidarity and liberalisation highly among these.
Estonian president: Don't discriminate against new members
Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves also touched upon EU foreign policy, raising the issue of the under-representation of new member states in the upper echelons of the EU institutions. He referred to the European External Action Service – the EU's new diplomatic corps, which is currently being put together.
EU foreign policy will never be truly ''common'' if the full participation of all member states is prevented by discriminatory rules, he stated. On a similar note, he spoke openly about discrimination against the EU's new members in the Common Agricultural Policy.
De Maizière: Economy and security must go hand in hand
Thomas de Maizière, Germany's interior minister, stressed the need to strike a balance between economic interests and freedom of movement on one hand, and internal security needs on the other. He cited the Schengen Area as an example, a move that practically abolished internal borders in the EU but also increased the need for information sharing and better coordination and cooperation – particularly with countries on the EU's periphery.
The minister stated that solutions to the bloc's economic problems must take security into account and vice-versa. The Lisbon Treaty has created basic preconditions for this, he added.
