Freedom Is The Answer, At Home And Abroad
Brussels, 8th February 2011
As other leaders of the European Parliament's political groups today called for 'more Europe', I called for 'more freedom' as a solution to the problems both at home and abroad, during a debate with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.
The President of the European Council was reporting back to an open session of the parliament's group leaders - the Conference of Presidents.
In a speech on behalf of the ECR Group I said:
"Support for freedom is a value shared across this house and for the ECR Group it is one of our most important principles. We believe the maximisation of individual freedom in a society with a small state and low taxes is the best way to secure the social, economic and political objectives we all seek.
"This is why we welcome developments in Tunisia - which the British Foreign Secretary is visiting today - in Egypt and across the Arab world, and we support the declaration adopted by the European Council last Friday.
"It is a myth perpetrated by those who wish to control their fellow citizens that democracy is incompatible with the Islamic faith or inconsistent with the culture of the Arab peoples. Recent events have demonstrated that the peoples of the Arab world have the same desire for freedom and democracy as elsewhere. Repression has also stifled economic development - the peoples of north Africa and much of the middle east have not only been held down, they have been held back. Economic progress has been slow, characterised by low growth and high unemployment - a key factor in the recent upheaval. And this has made some vulnerable to the appeal of more violent and extremist groups. But if hopes for freedom and economic development can be realised, the vast majority will never be tempted to take that path.
"We therefore support the process of transition in Egypt. We should record that President Mubarak has been a great Egyptian patriot, and a friend of Europe and America. By pursuing peace with Israel he has no doubt saved countless lives. But we have not been blind to the authoritarian nature of his regime. The time has come for change.
"But we support orderly change. We know from our experiences here in Europe, that democracy has its best chance of success if it can build on a functioning state which can be transformed by careful steps to meet the hopes of the people. And we know too from the revolution in Iran that a brief flicker of freedom can be cruelly snuffed out by one authoritarian regime snatching power from another if chaos reigns.
"So a careful process of change is our hope for the people of Egypt, the middle east, and beyond, including Belarus whose citizens have tragically once again be denied the chance of a free and fair election.
"As we support freedom abroad, so we support it at home.
"We welcome the progress made in the European Council to extend the principles of economic freedom enshrined in the single market to the key area of innovation. The creation of a "genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation" by means of the European Research Area deserves support, as does the Digital Single Market, and an integrated energy market to promote competition and ensure energy security. Whilst tackling the pressing economic and financial crisis we must not neglect these key reforms to build a sustainable competitive economy. But let me add a word of caution. It is right to sweep away artificial barriers to trade, research and innovation, but we must resist the temptation to intervene too forcefully in the market by trying to pick winners.
"In this field, as in so many others, governments need to establish the right legal and policy frameworks, provide the right climate and incentives for investment, and then get out of the way to allow businesses, entrepreneurs, inventors and scientists to push the boundaries of technology and innovation. It is economic freedom, not government intervention, that will open the door to our future prosperity."
