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Europe Day 2010
EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION SPEECH
BY GEORGE CUNNINGHAM, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I.
ON THE OCCASION OF EUROPE DAY
WELLESLEY CLUB, 19 MAY 2010
- The Honourable Judith Collins, Minister of Corrections, Police and Veterans Affairs, representing the Government.
- The Honourable Dr Lockwood Smith, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- The Honourable Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition.
- Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
My wife, Florence, and I welcome you warmly to Europe Day 2010.
Today we are also celebrating the 50 th Anniversary of the Establishment of our Diplomatic Relations.
We are very pleased and honoured to have the Minister of Veterans Affairs with us today.
Minister Collins, you know very well the depth of commitment between Europe and NZ, in times of war and peace.
Your visit to Poland and France last year to commemorate the start of the Second World War was deeply appreciated by all of us.
Thus it was 60 years ago, on 9 th May 1950, that the declaration of the great European Robert Schuman laid the ground for a united, stable and peaceful Europe emerging from the ashes of a devastating world war.
This historic declaration and its great significance continue to lead the integration project on the European continent and inspire partnerships we forge beyond the borders of Europe.
Europe Day has become the symbol of a new beginning, of a free and successful way of peaceful cooperation between sovereign nations, based on shared values and common interests such as peace, solidarity, democracy, welfare of people and the rule of law.
In recognition of this extraordinary development, Europe and NZ realised very early on the importance of establishing diplomatic ties.
The key moment happened in 1960, when Sir George Robert Laking, NZ's High Commissioner to the UK, presented his credentials to President Hallstein of the European Commission.
NZ has always been a keen observer of world trends and could see the significance that the European Economic Community of the time might have on its trade.
But few could predict how Europe would grow and bring the benefits of a far larger market to NZ, with its citizens espousing the same values as NZ cherishes.
The EEC had just six member countries in 1960. Now we count 27 countries with half a billion citizens, and more countries banging on the door to come in as members.
Despite the economic crisis, the EU is the largest economy in the world bar none. It provides some two-thirds of development assistance worldwide, being also the second largest donor in the Pacific. It is NZ's second largest trading partner after Australia.
On the occasion of Europe Day 2010, I would like to emphasise the high importance that Europe gives to its partners around the world, especially such likeminded ones as NZ.
Only together will we be able to create policies and initiatives to tackle the challenges the world is facing in the 21st century.
We have to find effective answers on a wide range of risks and threats: the fragility of states, terrorism, organised crime as well as the wider issues that affect our citizens: energy security, climate change and the competition for natural resources, pandemics, illegal migration and human trafficking, trade, health, financial and economic issues.
In this respect, I am pleased to see that we both place significant importance on having Emission Trading Schemes.
NZ is not just joining the 27 Member States of the EU in having an ETS, but also much of the rest of the industrialised world - including Japan, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, 18 US states and many Canadian provinces. South Korea is also working on coming on board.
NZ's commitment to the ETS is important and will help everyone keep the momentum going for the next major world climate change meeting in Mexico and beyond.
You have no doubt heard of the expression: "Distance makes the heart grow fonder". Certainly it is true of our relationship. Despite being half a world away, NZ and Europe are always in touch.
In the past half year, EU delegations have visited NZ for agricultural talks and as well as trade talks. We have held a major EU-NZ trade conference in Auckland . There was a big EU delegation for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement talks in Wellington last month.
The European Parliament has also just visited NZ at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The 2010 Joint EU-NZ Science and Technology Cooperation Committee will take place in Wellington next month as well.
And of course these sharing of experiences are reciprocal. We look forward to welcome the Speaker's delegation on a visit to Europe later on this year.
And we must not forget NZ's peripatetic and indefatigable world traveller Foreign Minister Honourable Murray McCully who has clocked up the air miles on numerous visits to Europe over the past year.
An important event this year was the first meeting between Prime Minister John Key and President Van Rompuy which happened in the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.
NZ is looking towards the EU to enhance its relationship with a more comprehensive agreement.
Our cooperation is wide, covering so many issues where we do not just talk but do as well: on the Pacific and Fiji; at the United Nations and World Trade Organisation; on human rights; science, research and development. You name it, we do it!
Our networks are important to us. The EU Centres Network coordinated by the University of Canterbury has just received a €1 million grant from the EU.
Our thanks as well to the NZ-EU Parliamentary Friendship Group and the NZ-Europe Business Council for their splendid work.
Much remains the same since 50 years ago. Old friends mature like vintage wine. NZ and Europe will always be friends. Each of you individually here this evening is an example of that friendship.
I sincerely thank you for your close collaboration, as well as my hard working staff at the Delegation of the European Union , as we are now called.
So it is with great pleasure that I propose a toast to another 50 years and more of EU-NZ friendship.
Please join me in a toast to the People of New Zealand, their Government and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
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