Statement by Jüri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister

debate

plenary session

EU - Estonia (T)

RATAS, Jüri (EE)

future of the European Union (T)

Debate on the Future of Europe : Statement by Jüri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister (10:29 - 10:55)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/19662698/I161012Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Mr President, President of the Commission, distinguished leaders of the political groups and Members of the European Parliament,

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I am honoured and humbled to be back in this great house. I would like to thank Antonio for organising the debates on the future of Europe and for the opportunity to participate.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Today, we can all together congratulate our German friends and all Europeans on the occasion of the German Unification Day. For my generation, this day symbolizes not only the end of division of Germany, but it also heralded the liberation of Eastern Europe and the start of eastward enlargement of the European Union. It made possible the starting of accession talks 20 years ago. It has been an amazing journey for Estonia. The role of the European Parliament in it has been remarkable. I would like to thank you, honorable Members of the European Parliament, for your support.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, This year Estonia celebrates the one hundred years anniversary of our statehood. Like Germans in the east of the country, we had to wait and dream for 50 years about freedom, rule of law and justice. I vividly remember watching Finnish TV as this was our only connection to the free world. This is why I, from the bottom of my heart dislike borders in Europe: those still existing for Member States who have fulfilled all criteria to join Schengen.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Those that have been partly reintroduced following the migration crisis &ndash; although I understand the concerns back then. And those that still may be erected, should we &ndash; which I refuse to accept &ndash; collectively fail in Brexit negotiations. Against this background, it is not hard to understand why Estonians have such a special emotional connection to Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I can only agree with the Irish singer Bono that Europe is not only an idea, but also a feeling and a destiny, because our, and I quote, &ldquo;values and aspirations make Europe so much more than just a geography. They go to the core of who we are as human beings, and who we want to be&ldquo;.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen, compared to its share of territory and population in the world, Europe is small and diverse. But by sharing our sovereignty and pooling our strength, by having common policies we have been able to make a difference in the world. I believe that we all have shared interest in rules-based and effective multilateral order, built on liberal values and democratic principles.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, We have common interests also in open, free and fair global markets. It is what the world expects from us and it is what our citizens want. Because it is Europe that protects our values and freedoms against the turbulence of today&rsquo;s world. Europe&acute;s geographical ties and our global interdependence as world&acute;s largest trader dictate that it is vital to have a world that functions. We Europeans are all stronger together and I hope we will spare no effort in securing our collective interests and the values in the world.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Europe&acute;s core strength is its diversity. Being European adds a rich layer to one&acute;s identity. Nothing represents this better than the fate of small nations in the European family.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I would like to paraphrase former Estonian President Lennart Meri, who once said that small nations in Europe are the glue, the oil and the cement in the European construction. Therefore, allow me to express here modest enthusiasm when it comes to grand institutional designs in Europe which could lead to lesser role of smaller nations in our common institutions. Less diversity will also result in less Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today, in this limited timeframe, please allow me to focus on only some areas essential for Europe according to Estonia.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, First, preserving unity within the EU. The key for our common future is our ability to keep the EU united and move forward with EU&acute;s positive agenda. There is a saying that the best way to predict the future is to create it. Future is not something abstract or another Treaty-change. We are building our future every day. We are doing this by providing answers to concrete concerns of our citizens and whenever possible, building connections that bring Europeans closer together &ndash; human, physical and professional connections.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Europeans also expect us to tackle transformational challenges that are too big for a single Member State such as European defence, climate change and digital transformation. We will also have to find answers to global population growth and migration, triggered by these changes. I therefore hope for ambitious multiannual financial framework that reflects these challenges. New multiannual financial framework is actually the best indicator of how we will see our common future.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I agree with President Macron that the European Union depends on the feeling of unity. But as we know, unity does not have to mean uniformity. Sometimes we should simply recognize our different views, without compromising on the same values. I find different levels of direct taxes in Member States perfectly normal.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I also feel that with European budget of the size of only 1% of GNI, fundamental decisions of redistributive nature can be made at national or even local level through social dialogue.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, At the same time, we must have credible framework vital for our common future, like the national spending of 2% of our GDP to keep Europe safe or aiming at expenditure level of 3% of GDP on research and innovation.Also, we expect Europe to be big in big things but at the same time it has to be excellent in details. Without standards and fine details the Single Market or Capital Markets Union would simply not function.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, We are now trying to find consensus when deciding on the core elements on how to manage migration. It is difficult, but we all realize that short-term measures will only bring short-term solutions. All of us need to show solidarity in the way that suits best our common purpose and each Member State&rsquo;s particularities.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, The key in decreasing irregular migration is to work with third countries. We must use all the instruments that our trade, visa and development policies offer. New Africa-EU alliance proposed by president Juncker to support jobs, skills and private investments in Africa definitely serves long-term effects. Estonia pulls its weight here. Last November I signed e-government cooperation agreement between Estonia and African Union. Estonia is geographically distant from Africa, but digital world does not recognize distance.

SOUNDBITE (Estonian), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Secondly, it is important to maintain and strengthen EU&acute;s influence in global economy. I cannot imagine a better example than the Single Market to prove that we are bigger and stronger together. But it still remains unfinished. Take for example the field of services: while the sector continues to grow unlike anything else, especially in digital domain, we are far from using its full cross-border potential. For example, public services remain essentially national.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, My good colleague Mark Rutte called the services market the elephant in the room when standing in front of you here in June. I understand him well, and I also worry &ndash; when did talking about the completion of the Single Market, our economic engine, become a taboo? It is high time that we set ourselves new goals in building the Single Market.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen. Success in creating effective artificial intelligence could be the biggest event in the history of our civilization. Or the worst. We just don't know&ldquo; &ndash; a famous quote by Stephen Hawking. In the field of artificial intelligence, the race is definitely on. Everybody is keen on exploring and developing strategies and reaping the benefits while we are still struggling to make it work.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Upon entering from the age of invention into the age of implementation of AI, Europe has to reinforce our values and lead technological change in public and private sector. We need to progress in the areas of free movement of data, the data economy and artificial intelligence. In the world of hybrid warfare, cybercrime and fake news, security in cyberspace should come by design and go hand in hand with emerging technologies. We need to build data integrity into systems, to be able to guarantee that the sensor inputs and computing of the robotic systems are not compromised.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, We need to develop strong digital identities in order to be able to distinguish real persons from fake unfriendly bots. We need to establish practice with a strong professional ethos on keeping AI open and transparent. I am very pleased with the Commission proposals resulting from Tallinn Digital Summit last year, especially our commitment to invest into technological and social readiness throughout the new budget. It is time to adopt proposals to complete the Digital Single Market and enable digital transformation. The world will not wait.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Thirdly, it is important to maintain and enhance internal and external security. All Eurobarometer surveys have shown that our people are most concerned about security. Our long-term focus should be on prevention of crime and illegal activities at our borders. High level of border and customs surveillance ensures security throughout Europe. Common standards and investments into both technical and operational features in border surveillance are required. Only then can we realistically assess what to expect from the 10.000 European border guards, that Jean-Claude has proposed.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Also, effective control of people and goods at our external borders demands reliable databases that can communicate with each other. We do not need to collect the same data into different information systems, we just have to make them able to share the information. Interoperability of EU-wide databases by 2020 is the only way forward. We must also explore how to develop better synergies between the internal security, border control and customs information systems. And it is time that also Romania and Bulgaria would benefit from membership in the Schengen area.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Honourable Members of the European Parliament, The call for European nations to show that they take their security seriously has been around for a long time and clearly, it will not go away. This is not merely a question about maintaining or increasing our military capabilities. This is ultimately a question about how serious Europe is over its role in its immediate neighborhood and in the world in general. How serious are we about our transatlantic partnership with the United States.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Europe that protects has to maintain a strong relationship with our global partners. In addition to the European defense cooperation, it is inevitable to preserve the transatlantic unity. Europe cannot deal with the global security risks alone. For the European Union this means going beyond its current role as a regulatory superpower and start supporting the development as well as deployment of more traditional instruments of foreign and security policy. Therefore, an increased defense cooperation among the EU Member States is welcome. This will lead to increased defense spending and to a larger number of commonly usable capabilities. At the same time NATO will remain the bedrock of collective defense in Europe and our aim should be a mutually reinforcing relationship between the EU and NATO.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Mr President, The final point I would like to make &ndash; we need to strengthen the European feeling and fight populism. We are working hard in the EU to make our citizens feel well. However, in a recent youth forum in Estonia, students said, that even their teachers were not able to explain the European Union. Upcoming European Parliament elections give us, politicians, perfect opportunity to explain our decisions. European Union has brought so many opportunities that people nowadays seem to take for granted. We have to speak about the benefits of the single market and single currency to our businesses, about free movement to our people, about ERASMUS to our students&hellip;

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, I very much appreciate the structured dialogues on the future of Europe, initiated by the French president Emmanuel Macron, the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the president of this house Antonio Tajani. Working for better Europe that benefits citizens is a daily work. This also includes taking responsibility for the decisions and compromises made in the EU and showing very clearly that we own these decisions.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, The action taken after the Bratislava and Rome Summits already seems to have positive results and enjoys support by the people. More than two thirds of EU citizens feel that the EU membership has been beneficial to their country &ndash; the best result since 1983.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, To summarise, External pressure and crises have always pushed the EU forward and motivated Member States and institutions to cooperate. Our common, unanimous response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, to the Bataclan terrorist attack, or, if you will, to the euro zone crisis, is an example of solidarity and common values. European Union as a community of values &ndash; and, of course, shared interests &ndash; has to have the means to stand up for the respect of individual freedoms and fundamental rights, for multilateral and rules-based order and to tackle the challenges to our security, peace and wellbeing. I believe that our citizens understand this while we engage in the negotiations over the next Multi-annual Financial Framework.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, The fundamentals of the European Union are constantly disputed by the people, by the Member States and also by third states. Our Union is therefore politically fragile. This means that we need a self-confident, reassuring Union that protects its citizens and its members. We also need citizens and Member States that are passionate about the Union and everything it stands for as a family of peoples and states. And there must be more of us. I hope, that in ten years from now, I can listen to a colleague from any of the current candidate countries in the same role that I am standing here today.

SOUNDBITE (English), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Now I would like to conclude in my mother tongue, Estonian. It means you need microphone's.

SOUNDBITE (Estonian), J&#252;ri RATAS, Estonian Prime Minister, Dear Members of Parliament. I would like to thank you for the fact that the present and the future of Europe do not leave you indifferent. It Is only today and here standing before you that I fully understand the privilege and responsibility that my country and I myself held last year when we had the honor and opportunity of doing the work of the presidency of the Council of the EU. An Estonian writer Anton Hansen Tammsaare has said: "Work and your love will grow." It is true Europe was, is and will always remain in my heart. Thank you.