WillkommenPolitikBerichteStarke Stimme in Berlin und Brüssel

Starke Stimme in Berlin und Brüssel

Eine besondere Stärke unserer Politik ist die enge Vernetzung aller politischen Ebenen: Von den Kommunalparlamenten über den Bayerischen Landtag und den Bundestag bis hinein in das Europäische Parlament machen wir „Politik aus einem Guss". So sind wir in der Lage, Entscheidungsprozesse der EU sehr frühzeitig zu begleiten, um Eigenständigkeit und Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten für unser Land zu erhalten. Für uns gilt:

Wir müssen die EU mit ihren 27 Mitgliedstaaten handlungsfähig halten und die regionale und kulturelle Vielfalt in Europa bewahren. Was wir in Bayern oder auf nationaler Ebene genauso gut regeln können, darf nicht durch Vorschriften aus Brüssel bestimmt werden.

Einen EU-Beitritt der Türkei lehnen wir strikt ab. Wir engagieren uns für eine privilegierte Partnerschaft der EU mit der Türkei. Bayern hat entscheidend dazu beigetragen, dass die Landtage durch die „Föderalismusreform I" einen Zuwachs an Zuständigkeiten erhalten haben. Dadurch fallen heute mehr politische Entscheidungen in Deutschland näher am Menschen.

Wir stehen für solide Haushalte in ganz Deutschland. Hochverschuldete Länder dürfen ihre Lasten nicht auf Bayern verschieben. Wir müssen zu einem bundesweiten Verbot der Neuverschuldung kommen. Das ist unsere Haltung bei der „Föderalismusreform II".

 

We established a partnership between Scotland and Bavaria in 2000. Ever since, Scotland and Bavaria have worked closely together in all fields of European policy.

Keynote Presentation given by State Minister Eberhard Sinner, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum on January 31st 2007 in Edinburgh, Scotland

 

Presiding officer,

Honourable First Minister,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Of course, may I say at the outset that I´m very happy to be here today? As you know,  we  established a partnership between Scotland and Bavaria in 2000. Ever since, Scotland and Bavaria have worked closely together in all fields of European policy. First of all I would like to congratulate the organisers on this well run and enjoyable event. We thank our Scottish friends for their outstanding hospitality and for the possibility to attend this meeting in this wonderful  Scottish Parliament. This year we celebrate the  300th anniversary of the Union of the Parliaments, a very sensitive date in  Scottish history. And in my opinion this Parliament is a visible sign for the greatness, vital democracy and global competitiveness of Scotland, for which our Scottish friends have waited for more than 300 years. Let's fight for more power for the regions in Europe in the future too. Subsidiarity is the key for a policy closer to the people and for global competitiveness. It´s learning from the best rather than repeating national mistakes.

 

German Presidency of the EU

On January 1, 2007, Germany took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for a period of six months. A particular highlight of the Presidency is the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaties of Rome on March 25.

  

50th Anniversary of the Treaties of Rome

On the occasion of this 50th Anniversary, the Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States will come together with the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission in Berlin. A solemn declaration is to be adopted then on the European integration process.

  

Widespread scepticism towards EU

This offers an excellent opportunity to draw public attention to the major achievements and successes of European integration. This is very important as many citizens are sceptical about the EU. The failure of the European Constitutional Treaty at the referenda in France and the Netherlands proved this beyond all doubt.

  

Strengthening public support for the EU

Strengthening public support for the EU is one of the greatest challenges at present. For it is only with the consent of the people that we will be able to continue the unique success story of the European integration process.

 

Conveying the achievements and successes of the EU

The great achievements of the European Union and the generally successful work of the EU should be conveyed in a more forceful manner. In addition, we must make it clear that the European Union is the right answer of Europe to the challenges of the 21st century.

 

EU is the answer to the challenges of the 21st century

Globalisation, new dangers to internal and external security, guaranteeing a secure energy supply and climate change all demand joint European action. We can only defend our political and economic interests effectively on the world stage if we stand together as Europeans and speak with one voice.

 

Sound European policy needed

In addition to a better communication of the need for the EU and its achievements, we need first and foremost a sound European policy. We must take the people's concerns seriously. We must achieve results which will convince them of the added value of the European Union.

 

In addition to a cautious approach to future enlargements, which must take strictly into account the candidate countries' conformity to accession requirements, as well as the EU's absorption capacity, the following points would seem to be crucial:

• the reform of the EU,
• the promotion of economic growth and employment,
• the further development of cooperation in the fields of Justice and Home Affairs
• the strengthening of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

 

The Germany EU Presidency sets priorities here.

 

Continuing the EU reform process

The EU needs reforms in order to strengthen democracy, subsidiarity, closeness to the people, transparency and efficiency. For this reason, I sincerely hope that, at the European Council in June, the German Presidency will succeed in achieving an agreement on the continuation of the reform process on the basis of the European Constitutional Treaty.

 

Involvement of national parliaments

I consider the so-called early-warning system for subsidiarity control, as laid down in the Constitutional Treaty, to be very important. By this means, the national parliaments will be directly involved in the EU legislative process for the first time.  

 

I therefore particularly welcome the fact that, since early September 2006, the Commission has been forwarding all new proposals and consultation papers directly to the national parliaments, thus allowing them the opportunity to present their opinion. Important elements of the subsidiarity early-warning system are already being implemented through this new procedure.

 

The increased involvement of national parliaments at an early stage contributes to the strengthening of democracy and subsidiarity, and it helps to bring the EU closer to the people.  First and foremost, this involvement means that European policy will be given more weight in domestic policy, thus becoming more tangible for the people.

 

Implementation of the Lisbon Strategy

A further central focus of the German Presidency is the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, which aims at the promotion of economic growth and employment. This will be the subject of the EU Summit in early March 2007.

 

Simplifying legislation and cutting red tape

In this context, the German Presidency attaches a high importance to simplifying legislation and cutting red tape at EU level.  I welcome these measures. The excessive regulations and bureaucracy in Brussels are often criticized. To reduce and to avoid unnecessary burdens on the economy, the citizens and the administration is not only an economic agenda but also a programme for fostering public support for the EU!

 

As proposed by the Commission, the EU Summit in Spring 2007 should set the target to reduce the costs of bureaucracy for the economy by 25 % at EU and national level. According to estimates by the EU Commission, this could lead to an increase in the GDP of approximately 1.5 %.

 

In order to boost economic growth and employment, the German Presidency also aims to further complete the Internal Market and to strengthen the role of research, innovation and knowledge. In particular, the Presidency has announced an initiative on environmental technologies.

 

Energy policy

Energy policy is one of the priorities of the German Presidency, too. An ambitious action plan on energy policy is due to be adopted at the EU Summit in Spring 2007.

 

A secure and sustainable energy supply at a reasonable price is crucial for our future development and our competetiveness. To this end, joint European efforts are becoming increasingly essential. First and foremost, a common energy foreign policy is indispensible, in particular a collective safeguarding of our interests vis-à-vis energy suppliers.

 

Globalisation

An important field, in which the EU can contribute to economic growth and employment, is that of external economic policy. The German EU Presidency advocates the further opening up of the international markets, the further development of fair multilateral rules and, above all, the protection of intellectual property rights. Europe must play an active role in shaping globalisation.

 

Other important issues

Other key issues, which the people think to be very important, too, are:

 

• climate protection,
• security, in particular the fight against international terrorism and cross-border crime, and
• strengthening of the common foreign and security policy.

 

These issues have also been set as priorities by the German Presidency.

  

Responsibility of the Member States and regions to promote economic growth and employment

I would like to return to the Lisbon Strategy. The EU can contribute to the promotion of economic growth and employment. However, it is the Member States and regions which are primarily responsible for boosting growth and jobs.

 

They must take the necessary measures in the field of economic policy, as well as labour-market, social and fiscal policy. They must invest more resources in education, research and development. In the wake of globalisation, innovation remains our best chance. 

 

Bavaria's measures

In Bavaria, we do our utmost to fulfill our responsibility to strengthen our future viability and our competitiveness.

 

Bavaria as a business location

Today, Bavaria is a leading business location. For decades, we have set great store by technical progress. Our motto is predictability and consistency in economic policy; our relationship with the enterprises is based on partnership. Our success proves us right:

 

• Bavaria has been leading in terms of economic growth in Germany for the last decades. Accordingly, the GDP per capita is one of the highest in the world.
• Together with Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria can consistently boast the best labour market records for many years, that is, it has the lowest unemployment rates and the strongest employment momentum of all German Länder.
• In Bavaria, the number of entrepreneurs is above the average rate [12.2% in 2005].
• By now, almost every second Euro in Bavarian industry is earned on the international markets outside Germany.

Bavaria rises to the challenges of the 21st century

 Despite these positive facts and figures, even we will have to rise to the challenges of the 21st century: globalisation, the transition to a service and knowledge-based society and the demographic development all demand resolute action.

 

Bavarian budgetary policy

 

It can best be judged from a government's budgetary priorities whether it genuinely takes the creation of sustainable structures seriously. As the saying goes:

"Put your money where your mouth is".

• Bavaria consistently invests 3 % of its GDP in research and development.
• Bavaria consistently invests in education: the biennial budget 2005/2006 alone allocated 7.2 % to universities, the highest growth rate within the total Bavarian budget.
• Last but not least, we have by far the lowest per capita debt in the whole of Germany [1.853 € in 2006].

 

Balanced budget

As the first of the German Länder, Bavaria boasts a debt-free budget; the budget planned for 2007/2008 is once again a balanced budget.

 

The principle of not jeopardising the needs of future generations obliges us to uphold a stable balanced budget. A certain room for action must be maintained in public spending. There is only scope for essential, future-oriented investments if we are economical with consumptive expenditure and set the right priorities.

  

Innovation policy in Bavaria

By virtue of its consistent innovation policy, Bavaria established these priorities from an early stage.

 

Future of Bavaria Action Programme/High-Tech-Programme

In the middle of the Nineties, we launched a comprehensive Future of Bavaria Action Programme, followed by a separate High-Tech-Programme. In total, we invested more than 3 billion Euro in science and research projects.
 

Successful settlements

Partly as a result of these investments in the future, we achieved a number of settlement successes. Let us take the IT sector for example: the Headquarters or European Establishments of industry leaders like Microsoft, SUN Microsystems, Apple, 3Com, Infineon, Softlab, Texas Instruments and Oracle, are located in Bavaria.

 

IT clusters

Today, the IT industry employs more than 300 000 people in Bavaria. This is the top position when compared to the rest of Europe. These people represent a pool of the highest IT expertise. As a result, the IT corporations and research institutes in Bavaria have become a closely-knit, creative network. A dynamic and powerful IT and ICT cluster has sprung up. Its influence radiates beyond the IT sector: after all, approximately half of the people employed in research and development in Germany are located in the south, in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

 

Cluster strategy

Such clusters are our prospects for the future. Nowadays, it it is not enough for universities and enterprises to work alone an independently. Modern jobs and industries are no longer conceivable without a scientific background. On the other hand, research benefits from the practical experience of the businesses.

Clusters provide new markets and new jobs.  They will enable us to continue to make Bavaria stronger in the future. To this end, we have ana-lyzed our current areas of expertise and checked which of our strengths could be developed further. The following are, amongst others, the industries of the future: biotechnology, the aerospace industry, ICT technology, energy, medical and environmental technology.

We have established cooperation platforms, which bring together all the parties involved, thus facilitating specific projects. Each of these platforms has its own cluster manager who acts as its driving force and moderates the communication between industry and science.

 

Bavarian Venture Capital and technology funds

In order that these initiatives do not fail for lack of funding, the start-up teams and the technology enterprises are supported by our Bayern Kapital GmbH (Bavarian Venture Capital Company) from the "seed phase" right up to expansion. In addition, we have allocated 70 million Euros to the "Bavarian Cluster Fund" to strengthen innovative small and medium-sized enterprises.

 

University and education policy in Bavaria

However, today, all the money in the world can no longer guarantee lasting success without an excellent knowledge infrastructure and highly-trained employees. For this very reason, university and education policy in Bavaria has always been a high priority. Here again, Bavaria is the cutting edge:

 

• In July 2005, under the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Bavaria attained the best performance in Germany in the areas tested - reading, mathematics, science and problem solving, thus assuring its position at the international forefront.
• The high quality of Bavarian universities is reflected in many rankings. Only recently, in the framework of the Excellence Initiative launched by our federal government, both of Munich's universities were appointed national elite universities .

 

In future, Bavarian universities will have more independence, more decision-making authority and more autonomy. In this way, they will be able to respond more swiftly and flexibly to changes in  global competition and prepare for the challenges of the future.

We are setting up our universities for these tasks by means of our university reform, by budget prioritization and the establishment of a new elite network in Bavaria. 

Elite Network of Bavaria

In this network, various universities offer joint elite graduate programmes and joint international doctorate programmes. They further develop their strengths/special fields of expertise, and, at the same time, effectively support highly gifted students, based on their individual needs.

These investments do not only support science but also benefit the economy. Many jobs have been created in Bavaria through offshoot companies from Bavarian research organizations alone. Research and innovation act as job machines.

 

Strategic directions of the grand coalition at federal level

Thus, it was a matter of utmost concern to us that the grand coalition in Germany set a course for new strategic directions for investments in science and research.         The coalition wants to increase the expenditure on research and development from its current 2.55% of the GDP to 3%. In Bavaria, this percentage has already been in place for some time.

With an additional 6 billion Euros allocated to research and development, the federal government has taken an important step in putting Germany well and truly on the world's science map.

 

Bavaria 2020

We are currently developing a programme for the future, "Bavaria 2020". To this end, we want to define Bavaria's long-term development. Our primary concern is to ensure that Bavaria is in the best possible position to continue our success in the face of global competition. Our goal is that Bavaria should be one of the five strongest regions in Europe by 2020.

It is necessary to strengthen those areas which are to provide people throughout Bavaria with employment and prosperity until 2015 and beyond. Therefore, we are making a conscious effort to make good use of the advice of first-class scientists and entrepreneurs.

According to a survey based on the international Index "Economic Freedom of the World", the economic freedom in Bavaria is the greatest among all the German Länder.

 

Bavarian administrative reform

We believe that an economic policy which is based on the principle of freedom is the best route to more prosperity for our people. Therefore, by means of a comprehensive Bavarian administrative reform, the state and public administration have been modernized, public tasks have been reduced, and procedures have been simplified and made faster.

 

eGovernment - the main pillar of the administrative reform

Effective eGovernment structures are one of the priorities in simplifying administration. Services which can be rendered via the Internet ease the burdens on the people and the economy.

We are extending the existing eGovernment services under the heading "Let the data run, not the citizens"!

eGov Aims and advantages

The public administration must make even better use of the potential offered by information and communication technology. The chances are self-evident:

• eGovernment offers a vital location factor in global competition.
• eGovernment improves the range of public services offered to the people and the businesses twenty-four hours a day.
• eGovernment is the driving force and essential requirement for numerous measures in our successful administrative reform.

 

eGovernment-pact with the municipalities

 

In order to make best use of these opportunities, the Bavarian Government and the municipalities work closely together in an eGovernment pact. This is the only way that we can offer standardized services. The local governments play a central role in the processing of complex dealings with the authorities and are a fundamental part of our comprehensive eGovernment.

 

Database Bavarian law

One example of the great potential of eGovernment is the database on Bavarian law; this enables the public to access via the Internet all Bavarian regulations and bye-laws, free of charge. Thus, Bavaria provides for one of the most efficient and modern legal information systems in Germany and Europe.

  

eGovernment portal

But our strategy goes even further! We will continue to extend our Internet-based services over the next few years. A particularly vital component is the development of a single "eGovernment portal" which is scheduled to be in place by the end of 2007.  This portal will bring together the services offered by the public administration in Bavaria under the same web address and with the same appearance. We must act swiftly, and swiftly and decisively we will act.

  

Funding

Of course, great challenges go hand in hand with such an ambitious project as our eGovernment strategy. Probably the most important of these is the funding. This also applies, to some extent, to the citizens and enterprises who will have to invest in a suitable infrastructure to be able to make use of eGovernment. Significant investments are essential, however, before we can reap the benefits of rationalization. 

These are investments, which will certainly pay in the long run. Therefore, the Bavarian State Government is investing tens of millions in eGovernment.

  

Meeting Challenges

However, one glance at history shows that people have always been faced with great challenges. For this reason, there are certain recommended courses of action which remain timeless. The Roman statesman, Cicero, said over 2 000 years ago:

"The national budget must be balanced. The arrogance of the authorities must be restrained. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public support."

Let us heed these warnings and invest in our most important resource: the people of our countries. Then we will be able to seize the chances offered by globalisation and, in doing so, keep the risks under control.

Finally, I´d just like to - and I know you´ll agree with me- say a few words of praise for the Scots.

The English say the Scots know about Whisky -  At least one thing they agree on.

But there is much more to praise talking about Scotland.

The precise date that golf came to St. Andrews is not known, but it is thought to have been played here in 1400. I would hazard a guess - in fact I would put money on it - that from the dead buried in St. Andrews Cathedral you could pick a golf team that would beat any team from any other graveyard  in the world. And it wasn´t until the end of the 19th century that the first permanent golf club was founded in Yonkers, New York - by a Scotsman. Could one country do more for another?

But  the most important contribution for the development of modern market economy was made by Adam Smith, who lived and worked in Edinburgh. To trust in market forces rather than in state intervention is the way we have to go  that everyone not just a few should get to succeed and make the most of the talent they have. The  spirit of Adam Smith should inspire our meeting and encourage all of  us to take action.

With this in mind, I hope that today's forum leads to greater insight into the chances how to create a successful future for Europe and the global community.