Today's Date:

There is only one way of addressing European issues: very seriously. We have to stop playing with Europe, making people think it’s Father Christmas, even though December is getting near. Once and for all, let’s say it: there is one alternative, only one, to an organized Europe: a disorganized one; one alternative, just one, to a Political Europe: a feeble Europe. May the year 2007 be the opportunity to affirm France’s European project.

We must now add a new ambition to the one at the origin of the European enterprise, which has allowed peace and democracy at last to reign on our continent. This ambition must be for Europe to become a global player in a globalized world; it is both an obvious fact in today’s world and the prerequisite for citizens regaining confidence in the European project. And for this we need to pull ourselves together! Because either globalization will make mincemeat of us if we are inadequately equipped, or we shall pull our full weight which, logically, we should – that of a real power in this globalized world, serving our peoples.

Results, real results; greater efficiency than achievable by individual States; clearly defined but global responsibilities: this is what everyone genuinely expects from Europe. You just have to glance at a few significant events of the past few months to see the extent to which we systematically turn to Europe to see what solutions it proposes. African illegals washed up on Canary Island shores, fires in Portugal, terrorist alerts, war in Lebanon, fears of an energy crisis: every time we ask ourselves, “What is Europe doing?”. And that is normal, because we are entitled to expect that it is going to help us take up the major challenges of today.

Let's be bold and say it clearly: today, only Europe is in a position to satisfy our desire to combine freedom, high social standards and values. Neither the pure market economy nor isolated States, each keeping itself to itself, will be capable of doing so. It will be for the person chosen by the will of the people to hold the Republic's highest office in 2007 to embody this forward-looking ambition: to make Europe the global player which restores our pride and courage, helps and supports us. It will be for that person, holding that position, on France's behalf, as soon as possible to ask our European partners the fundamental, crucial question: "what do we want to do together?".

But, for that, the goal sought must first have been stated. We know what President Chirac has done to promote a stronger and more mutually-supportive Europe; the Prime Minister and several other members of the government have already voiced their views and set out their visions. As has the UMP chairman. It is time, everywhere, for those who have not yet done so to commit themselves and tell us what they propose on Europe.

To be viable, any project for Europe will have to be realistic and be considered even in the absence of revamped institutions. We cannot wait. Another treaty will come, it has to, but we have to act now: the absence of a new treaty cannot serve as an excuse. From where I stand, and to contribute to these discussions which I believe are as urgent as they are necessary for the democratic debate, I see five priority areas in which action has to be taken to make a success of the fundamental change in Europe we need.

- Europe must first of all increase our collective economic efficiency and help us in the battle for jobs. For this, there must not only be genuine coordination of our economic policies, harmonization of corporate taxation and a political dialogue with the ECB, but also a European industrial and energy policy and massive investment in research.

- Secondly, to strengthen the EU's social dimension, the respect of high social standards both between member States and in international trade agreements and the creation of a European minimum wage are essential.

- European citizens also need security. In the EU, we must strengthen cooperation between police forces, against terrorism and serious crime, build a judicial area and create a civilian security force to fight natural disasters. A European border guard corps and harmonization of visa policies will help combat illegal immigration. Outside Europe, besides a more effective and high profile common foreign policy, Europe must face up to its responsibilities in the world with a stronger defence policy, which sets convergence criteria for our countries' investments.

- Being in the lead in the fight against climate change will mean tax incentives, new environmental standards and a budget giving more favourable treatment to biofuels.

- Finally, to change Europe's mode of governance and restore its decision-making capacity, we must not only make a success of the institutional reform scheduled for before the end of 2008, but add to it a definition of the EU's geographical limits and the European identity before any new enlargement. The reform of the budget will, eventually, have to break some taboos: you don't become a global power by devoting 1% of one's wealth to the task.

Nor do you become one without making choices. Europe cannot do everything and we aren't asking it to do so. It will have to devote less effort on small things and more on big ones. Stop defining the size of Arcachon Basin clams, but face up to its responsibility to take up the challenges of our world. Put simply, Europe must learn to deal with what is essential, i.e. with what is politically relevant.

Those are just some ideas; there are probably a thousand others. My sole wish for the period now opening is for our compatriots also to be able to give their views on Europe, for everyone to express responsibly, in all honesty, their vision and their proposals, for no candidate to evade the issues, maintain that we must not talk about it any longer or that we have to wait: our future depends on it./.