Naturally, we cannot anticipate the results of the forthcoming negotiations, but one principle of consistency must be observed: access to the single market must continue to be contingent on the strict observance of all of its rules. There can be no cherry picking or free-riding. And we must obviously maintain our common European trade policy if we wish to retain our clout in future trade negotiations at the global level. Third asset: our common social model in Europe. It is less widely discussed, but it is what fundamentally defines continental Europe, and it is what German and French society and public opinion share. Our social model combines a high level of public service, relatively low levels of inequality – much lower than in the United States – and a good intensity of social dialogue. And this has been achieved in a market economy. I would like to stress the extent to which this social market economy (Soziale Marktwirtschaft) is a response to the questions raised in the AngloSaxon world, rather than protectionism: Germany, like many other European countries, proves that economic success can go hand in hand with social welfare, and less inequality. We can be proud of these three assets that we have built together. But for the future, while some no longer seem to believe in the benefits of the European project, we can no longer afford to be complacent; we cannot simply rest on our laurels. II. In order to control our common destiny we need to build a better Europe.
Christian Noyer: From Maastricht to the present and beyond Speech by Mr Christian Noyer, Governor of the Bank of France, at the GIC / Drexel Spring 2007 Conference, Philadelphia, 16 April 2007. *  *  *  We have just passed the European Union 50th anniversary. It is a good time to reflect upon the essence and future of this extraordinary endeavor. Never before, in the whole history of mankind, have democratic nations pursued and reached, through peaceful cooperation, such a close degree of interdependence, involving, in many crucial areas, deliberate pooling of sovereignty. Of course, the process has not been without difficulties and tensions, many of which are still apparent and acute. Of course, numerous challenges remain and the future is paved with roadblocks which could still derail the whole project. But, for the first time in more than a thousand years, Europe is at peace and prosperous, with democratic regimes everywhere. This is, by historical standards, an exceptional achievement. At the start, EU was built on a strong intuition: by sharing the instruments and policies underpinning economic prosperity, European nations would create an irreversible situation of interdependence and solidarity where conflicts and wars of the past would become impossible. This intuition led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, then, a few years later, to the European Community. Thus in 1957 the signature of Treaty of Rome was the starting point of this unique experience of regional integration in modern History.