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Britain takes reins of European Union
January 8, 1998
Blair and Santer
Web posted at: 1:26 p.m. EST (1826 GMT)LONDON (CNN) -- Britain launched its presidency of the European Union on Thursday, pledging to focus during its six-month term on the environment, tackling cross-border crime, creating jobs and reforming the group's farm policy, which eats up half the EU's $90 billion annual budget.
"It is possible to make Britain better, and make Europe better," Blair said at a news conference Thursday.
Blair's statements preceded a meeting with the 20-member European Commission, the union's executive body.
Watch Blair's opening statement
4 min., 30 sec. VXtreme streaming video
"If we adopt the right agenda for the future, and concentrate on getting across the messages to people as to how we can make those changes and make them work in people's interests, well, that will be of enormous benefit to people," he said.
The visiting commissioners have other things on their minds, including when, where and how to expand the European Union from the current 15 members.
And the most important, most contentious issue Britain faces during its EU tenure is the question of a single currency for Europe. It will preside over a May summit at which 11 EU nations will commit to joining the European Monetary Union, in which they will shed their currencies in favor of the euro in the years ahead.
EU officials gather in London Most would-be participants are still struggling to meet the EMU membership criteria. For example, Italy has cut spending by nearly $3 billion in a drive to qualify; whether it has reformed its borrowing and spending enough to make the cut has yet to be determined.
Britain itself has opted out of monetary union for Prime Minister Tony Blair's first term in office but wants to have a strong say in how it works.
While Britain might contend that its opt-out makes it a neutral arbiter for determining which countries can join the monetary union, the more likely European response is "join up, or shut up."
"The stakes are high and it's going to require a lot of nifty PR work for Blair to prove that he's very dedicated to the European process while staying outside it," said analyst Victor Smart.
While Blair warned Thursday that future clashes over national interests were inevitable, his statements also reflected Britain's warming toward the European Union under a Labour leadership.
"The benefits of being a part of a broader Europe are clear," Blair said. "They are clear in the terms of trade and prosperity ... and we have to emphasize them and that will be done in the next few months."
Commission members have welcomed the Labour party's relative openness towards the organization.
"The new positive approach you are following on European issues is as refreshing as it is appreciated," outgoing European Commission President Jacques Santer told Blair and his Cabinet.
Still, Britain's ambiguity on EMU membership and other key integration details has not been wasted on other EU capitals. The British have been warned that in the end, there is no such thing as an associate membership in the union.
Correspondent Richard Blystone contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- EU moves ahead with eastward expansion - December 13, 1997
- EU leaders back 1999 single currency launch - June 16, 1997
- Britain confident it will agree to EU treaty - May 9, 1997
- Britain mulls change to common European currency - December 4, 1996
Related sites:
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- The European Union - official site
- The Euro - information on the new European currency
- Office of the British Prime Minister
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