Psycho4Bud
10-27-2005, 06:30 AM
Tony Blair called for the informal summit at Hampton Court, as the UK is holder of the rotating EU presidency.
He told the European Parliament he had identified six priority areas where the EU needed to take action and these will be discussed at the summit.
Some MEPs have said Mr Blair should concentrate on tackling crises over the EU budget and the constitution.
However, the prime minister said on Wednesday the UK would do its "level best" to get a deal on the 2007-13 budget by the end of its presidency in December.
He has also argued that you cannot work on a budget until you work out what to spend money on.
'Back together'
Mr Blair also said if European governments showed citizens the EU was capable of addressing issues such as globalisation and terrorism, global warming and immigration, it would have "made a start at putting Europe back together again".
Mr Blair said his priority areas for EU action were research, energy policy, universities, migration, and the demographic time bomb, and the creation of a fund to help re-skill redundant workers.
BBC Europe Correspondent Tim Franks said: "Parts of this are highly controversial in some member states and any spending depends on nailing an elusive deal on the EU budget."
Mr Blair said he hoped EU leaders would approve on Thursday a European Commission report, which he described as a "stark analysis" of the challenges Europe faces from China and India.
The European share of world trade is slipping, while China and India's share are growing quickly, even in the high tech sector.
Mr Blair said the UK would also put to the summit proposals for a new counter-terrorism strategy that it hoped to agree in December.
The prime minister first warned the European Parliament in June that the EU had to adapt to globalisation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4380706.stm
So Europe is feeling the crunch of unjust exchange rates and slave labor. Join the club! The U.S. has been dealing with it for a long time! :cool:
He told the European Parliament he had identified six priority areas where the EU needed to take action and these will be discussed at the summit.
Some MEPs have said Mr Blair should concentrate on tackling crises over the EU budget and the constitution.
However, the prime minister said on Wednesday the UK would do its "level best" to get a deal on the 2007-13 budget by the end of its presidency in December.
He has also argued that you cannot work on a budget until you work out what to spend money on.
'Back together'
Mr Blair also said if European governments showed citizens the EU was capable of addressing issues such as globalisation and terrorism, global warming and immigration, it would have "made a start at putting Europe back together again".
Mr Blair said his priority areas for EU action were research, energy policy, universities, migration, and the demographic time bomb, and the creation of a fund to help re-skill redundant workers.
BBC Europe Correspondent Tim Franks said: "Parts of this are highly controversial in some member states and any spending depends on nailing an elusive deal on the EU budget."
Mr Blair said he hoped EU leaders would approve on Thursday a European Commission report, which he described as a "stark analysis" of the challenges Europe faces from China and India.
The European share of world trade is slipping, while China and India's share are growing quickly, even in the high tech sector.
Mr Blair said the UK would also put to the summit proposals for a new counter-terrorism strategy that it hoped to agree in December.
The prime minister first warned the European Parliament in June that the EU had to adapt to globalisation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4380706.stm
So Europe is feeling the crunch of unjust exchange rates and slave labor. Join the club! The U.S. has been dealing with it for a long time! :cool: