SWEDEN:Europeans should not fear a strong European Union but should embrace institutions that would be needed to counteract "fanatical nationalism as well as religious fanaticism", Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Addressing a debate on the future of Europe yesterday, Mr Reinfeldt said Europe was a force for democratisation and stability as was already apparent in the western Balkans and the union should be prepared to further expand, offering membership "to all states which qualify".
Mr Reinfeldt told MEPs that Europe needed "a clear vision" to offer aspirant countries as even the prospect of EU membership led to the creation of standards and stability. "It is not a strong Europe we should fear, but a weak one," he said adding, "we demolished one wall in Europe, we should not start building a new wall against Turkey or other European countries."
Commenting on the issues that face the union in the near term, he said he saw climate change and energy, employment - including pensions and migration - and security as major factors that would have to be addressed.
Employment was a particular concern, he said. Given that a third of those able to work were not in jobs, Mr Reinfeldt saw reform of national labour markets as crucial. This was even more important given demographic trends and the pressures on pensions funding.
"More people will have to work for a larger proportion of their lives," he stressed. However, he saw migration as another part of the solution and referred to the "positive energy" of migrants who, he argued were necessary to support Europe's welfare systems.
Socialist group leader Martin Schulz said Mr Reinfeldt's speech lacked any reference to a social Europe. "If people feel the internal market threatens their social standards, then the internal market will be rejected. We need to develop our social model in parallel. If not, if it is just a matter of free trade, we will destroy the social stability we have created at national level."