Message from the Ambassador/Head of the Delegation of the
Message from the Ambassador/Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, HE Sabato Della Monica
Enlargement will further strengthen EU's relationship with RI
Today, the European Union celebrates Europe Day. It was on May 9, 1950, in the aftermath of the Second World War, that the French foreign minister Robert Schumann made history by announcing a plan to control the forces of war and instead create a Europe in which countries were economically and politically linked. Today, on May 9, 2004 -- more than half a century later -- we celebrate Europe Day for the first time as a European Union of 25 members.
From the early days of European integration, the European Union (EU) of today has developed both in scope and size. From the initial economic cooperation of the six founding members, the work of the EU now has implications for many aspects of the daily lives of Europeans.
The cooperation is based on a single market -- with free movement of goods, people, services and capital -- an economic and monetary union with a single currency, the euro, as well as on policy coordination and political and security matters. The member states of the EU have gradually transferred sovereignty to the European level, so that democratic decisions on questions of truly European importance can be made at the European level.
On May 1st, the EU welcomed 10 new member countries from Central and Eastern Europe. This enlargement is an ambitious task, but also a unique and historic opportunity to end the artificial separation that has split the European continent for more than half a century. Through enlargement, the EU's stability and prosperity is extended to a wider group of countries, and the political and economic transition that has taken place in Central and Eastern Europe since 1989 is consolidated.
Enlargement has also created the biggest economic area on the globe of over 450 million citizens. A market of this size can be expected to boost investment and create new jobs and raise the level of prosperity throughout Europe -- both in the new and old member countries. And it will generate fresh economic opportunities for our partners, including Indonesia.
The EU's relationship with Indonesia is longstanding and based on dialog and cooperation. The EU is the second largest trading partner for Indonesia, as well as one of the largest investors here. We are continuously developing closer relations with Indonesia, and we have a vital interest in the success of Indonesia's efforts to develop its democracy on the basis of democratically elected bodies, accountable institutions and an independent judiciary.
One of the instruments to develop these relations is the extensive cooperation program that the European Commission is implementing in Indonesia. The program provides a grant support of about US$50 million per year and has been developed in cooperation with the Indonesian authorities, civil society and other donors.
Our cooperation assistance focuses on institutional capacity- building, particularly in the areas of accountable governance, the rule of law, and sound economic policies -- as well as the sustainable management of Indonesia's rich natural resources, notably its heritage of tropical forests and rich bio-diversity.
In addition to the assistance provided through government channels, the European Commission offers opportunities for the direct grant funding of civil society organizations, for example within the areas of economic cooperation, democracy and human rights. The responsibility for the implementation of these programs now lies with the Delegation of the European Commission in Jakarta, and we believe that these programs will prove to be flexible and efficient tools to support various sectors of mutual and strategic interest to Indonesia and the EU.
Indonesia is an important strategic partner for the European Union in Southeast Asia, and in the world. And with the enlargement of the European Union, our relationship with Indonesia will grow in strength, depth and maturity.