AFTER three weeks, I hope it has become apparent that Tony Blair's government is one with which the rest of Europe can do business.
Our approach is based on clear principles. We believe in a Europe of interdependent memberstates joining forces to achieve in partnership what they cannot achieve in isolation. We do not want a European superstate, but nor do most Europeans.
Where our genuine national interests are at stake we will be firm in defending them, as any European government would be. But we will not frustrate our partners' ambitions needlessly or block agreement for the sake of it we will go as far as we reasonably can to find common ground with others.
Above all, we do not see the European Union as an unwelcome imposition, but as a shared enterprise in which we, as Europeans, have as much of an interest as others in making it a success.
People throughout Europe are facing the same worries and challenges, finding secure employment, keeping their families safe from crime, creating a decent environment to live in. These problems are too big for any European country to face alone. That is why we want to work constructively as Europeans to find common solutions to our common problems.
The Social Chapter is a good example. We will end Britain's self imposed exclusion because it is right that all European employees should share certain basic rights at work. We will look very carefully at any new proposals for Europe wide legislation in this area, to ensure a balance between social responsibility and economic efficiency which makes sense for all our countries.
On other issues, the new British Government shares a desire of other EU states to make progress at the Inter Governmental Conference in reforming the way the Union works. We want to strengthen the environmental dimension of the treaty and make it integral to all Union policies: tackling pollution would not be an afterthought. We want to enhance the Union's role in guaranteeing our citizens' basic rights, particularly before enlargement.
We want the Union to contribute more effectively to the fight against unemployment through the coordinating policies to promote competitiveness. And we want to make the Union more efficient and accountable by extending the use of majority voting in certain areas, enhancing the European Parliament's role and ensuring openness in decision making.
Even where sensitive issues involve tough negotiations, solutions can be found if the atmosphere is constructive and open minded. On border controls, for example, we are getting closer to an agreement. We acknowledge the desire of continental, countries with open land borders to remove frontier controls between them. We can see that this may be a sensible step in tune with their practical needs.
As an island, however, it makes more sense for the United Kingdom to control illegal immigration and smuggling at the point of entry. That allows us to maintain a more liberal internal security environment without a requirement in our citizens to carry identification papers. We must achieve an outcome in the IGC which clearly allows us to maintain these controls. There is now much better mutual understanding on these points which should allow us to make progress.
Similarly, on defence. Britain has for many years spent a relatively high proportion of its income on defence. We have sent our forces on active service all over the world. The main lesson we have learnt is that in a conflict, what counts is not institutional architecture but experience, equipment and leadership. Like our partners, we are strongly in favour of improving European defence cooperation in areas such as peacekeeping, and crisis intervention. But we want NATO to continue to be the focus of our collective defence against the threat of war.
On foreign policy, Britain still has important interests across the globe. We are not alone in that. In other European Union countries too there are foreign policy issues which arouse strong passions, such as those involving relations with former colonies or the abuse of human rights.
WE want to develop a truly common foreign and security policy. That is why we will continue to argue for unanimity on foreign policy, decisions while working within the European Union to improve the effectiveness of its contribution in this area.
There are still hard negotiations ahead. The difference is that our approach will not simply be to say "no", but to work to find solutions, alternatives and compromises that are acceptable to all.
The election of a new British government with aa overwhelming mandate has created the opportunity for a fresh start in Europe. The voters who placed their trust in Labour on May 1st voted to reject the Europhobia of the Conservative Party and elect a government able to make a positive contribution to the development of the European Union.
Working together with our partners we want to create a Europe that reflects the aspirations of all our peoples by making the Union more open and democratic, by doing more to create jobs and improve the environment and by opening the doors to new member states. These objectives are realistic because the new British Government sees Europe as an opportunity, not a threat.
