European Commission President gives the Alcuin Lecture

He was first received by the Chancellor, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the Scott Polar Research Institute, where the Director, Professor Julian Dowdeswell, gave a tour of the newly refurbished Polar Musuem. The Chancellor had earlier visited the University Library to see the exhibition “Great and Manifold Blessings”, on the King James Version of the Bible.

The President’s delegation then visited the Institute for Manufacturing on the West Cambridge Site where he was give a demonstration of work in the Centre for Industrial Photonics developing micro and nano-scale manufacturing techniques in order to create magnets for electric motors to power green cars, without depending on rare earth metals. Partners on this project include Fiat and Siemens.

Delivering his lecture later to a capacity audience of University students and staff in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecture Theatre of the Department of Chemistry, under the Chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Mr Barroso made the following key points:

"Renewed and updated, Europe’s tradition of openness and networks can provide the foundations on which to frame policies for a return to growth. A new type of growth for an evolved world; growth that is more responsible, fairer, which rewards long-term thinking rather than immediate profit. Inclusive growth, which shares the benefits - rather than the costs of the bail-outs - throughout society; Sustainable growth which manages the earth’s scarce resources responsibly for today – and for tomorrow.
 

"Europe can be a world-class science performer if we revolutionise the way public and private sectors work together, invest in more frontier research work and remove frustrating bottlenecks that currently prevent ideas getting to market quickly.
 

"One of the unsung success stories of the crisis was the way in which we managed to defend the Single Market and keep it open for business. Respect for the rules held firm. It would have been so easy for Member States to close in on themselves and splinter into 27 mini markets again. There were strong temptations in that direction. The Commission took a firm stand to ensure they did not prevail, and this shows the importance of strong and independent European institutions.

"Defending the Single Market and admiring its achievements is not enough. Non progredi est regredi. Stay in the race or fall behind! The world has changed since the Single Market's famous '1992' launch date.

“We need more effective rules for economic policy coordination in Europe. This is not a power grab by Brussels. Fiscal policy – tax and spending, if you prefer - remains in the hands of individual national governments and national parliaments, as do decisions on structural policies like pensions, labour, and capital markets. And the reforms fully respect the specific circumstances of those who have chosen to stay outside the single currency.

“But the EU will be a relatively slow growth region unless there is major further progress in reforming and deepening the Single Market. We need a more coordinated approach on taxation – not to harmonise tax rates or undermine national fiscal freedom – but to put tools in place that can help make life easier for companies and citizens when they do business or inherit property across borders.

 “These issues are not universally popular – but if we are serious about the Single Market, we have to get serious about an appropriate degree of tax coordination too.

"The nay-sayers argued that the eurozone could not survive the impact of the first real economic shock to hit it. But monetary union has survived. And as we have seen, economic policy coordination is being reinforced.

"Just as we must adapt the substance of what we do to today's realities, so too must the framework - the way we do it – adapt. Smart intervention. Targeted intervention. Adding value where it helps, and not meddling where it does not.”

The Alcuin lectures are named after Alcuin of York, a teacher, theologian, and poet who advised the Emperor Charlemagne, and are given on a topic concerning the UK and Europe.

The series was established with a generous gift from Lord Brittan, former Vice-President of the European Commission, who himself gave the first lecture in 1999. Since then most UK European Commissioners have contributed to the series, which has also included Lord Hannay, the former UK Permanent Representative to the EU, Carl Bildt of Sweden, and Shirley Williams.
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