UM del - 2005-06 - Bilag 8: Invitation fra Tony Blair til Anders Fogh Rasmussen til deltagelse i det uformelle stats- og regeringschefmøde i Hampton Court den 27. oktober 2005

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to an Informal meeting of Headsof State and Government at Hampton Court on 27 October.

The meeting will be an opportunity to consider together the strategicissues facing Europe in the years ahead. As I said in the European Parliamentearlier this year, our task is to uphold the European ideals in which we believe,in the modern world. We have to demonstrate to our citizens that we areaddressing the issues and challenges they really care about.

So I propose, as the theme of our discussion, the opportunities andchallenges of globalisation. A central question here is: How do we meet thecompetitive challenge and maintain the security of our citizens in a world ofunprecedented movement of goods, capital and people? We also need toconsider how through our actions outside our borders, Europe can help to createa safer and better world.

I think it makes sense to have one broad strategic discussion. I hope wecan have a genuinely open, informal debate, where all can contribute on thebasis of their personal experiences in leadership. I see this as a real opportunityto step back from the usual pressures of European business and have a trulypolitical and strategic discussion about how we can work together, at a

European level, to take the opportunities and tackle the challenges facing us – inways which make a positive difference for our citizens.

That is why I have broken with recent convention by deciding to host themeeting at Hampton Court Palace near London, rather than in the Councilheadquarters in Brussels. I hope the historic background will provide aconvivial backdrop for our talks.

My biggest ambition for this meeting is for us to work together in a spiritof collective endeavour, and demonstrate that we can respond to the challengesof the day and that the European project continues to move forward. I hope thatwe can identify the common European ground that we all share.

We will start our discussions at 10.00 am, and after I have made a briefintroduction, I shall ask José Manuel Barroso to set the scene for ourdiscussions with a presentation on Europe in the globalised world, based on theCommission paper which issued today. I will then invite Javier Solana to speakabout how Europe can contribute to making the world a safer place. And then Ishall open the debate for all your contributions.

How do you think we can best provide both jobs and growth, andsocial solidarity? What is the modern way to social justice?

How can the EU support the efforts of member states in this area?Should we be doing more together in areas such as research anddevelopment, and developing world-class universities, so that ourcitizens are able to take fuller advantage of the opportunities ofglobalisation? And how can we – politically – best explain to ourelectorates the need for modernisation?

What more should Europe do to increase the personal security of ourcitizens? Can we do more, for example, to address illegal migrationand security issues when engaging with countries outside our borders?

I hope the informal setting will mean that we can dispense with lengthyinitial comments and avoid pre-written speeches, leaving more scope forgenuine discussion.

We shall break at around 12.30 pm for the family photograph followed bya working lunch (for which we shall be joined by Prime Ministers Sanader andErdogan). We then continue in the afternoon. Towards the end of thediscussion, I shall try to pull together some informal oral conclusions which,with your agreement, can form the basis of what I say to the press after themeeting. There will be no formal written conclusions. I hope we can finish byabout 6.00 pm. My officials will be circulating a more detailed programme.

I know that a number of colleagues are concerned to know how thePresidency plans to take forward the future financing negotiations. We haveconsulted widely, and I believe there is a collective will to reach agreement inDecember. President Barroso has issued some new ideas today on how to kick

start the negotiations. I know the importance to all of you of achieving a budgetdeal. I would like to take this opportunity to make clear that I believe agreementcan and should be reached at the December Council - and I will make everyeffort personally to achieve it by then, including through personal contact witheach of you. I will update you further briefly at the meeting on how we aretaking this forward through November. But I hope we can avoid getting intodetailed discussions of the future financing issue at Hampton Court. There arereal challenges on globalisation that we must address.

INFORMAL MEETING OF EU HEADS OF STATE / GOVERNMENTHAMPTON COURT27 OCTOBER 20050900-10001000-12301230 - 12501250 - 13151315 - 14451515-1800ArrivalsFirst Working SessionFamily PhotographPre-lunch DrinksWorking LunchSecond Working SessionTea / coffee servedDeparture for Presidency Press Conference