Speech of the Prime Minister of the CR, Mirek Topolánek at the colloquium of Swedish and Czech entrepreneurs in Sweden on 23rd April 2007

Ladies and gentlemen,

I will be speaking here just briefly. I will leave out concrete figures on mutual trade, as well as data on concrete investments and concrete cooperation. It is the present Minister of Industry and Trade Martin Říman, who is here because of those things, as he has that at his fingertips.

I will be speaking rather about more general topics, on basis, on conditions, which are necessary for you to be able to do your business.

Of course, it is evident that the driving force of mutual economic relations is the common market of the EU. Those figures, which I am not going to mention, can show that. But they are good figures and the Minister of Industry and Trade will certainly be like to boast of them.

The common market is a powerful tool of prosperity. Thanks to the common market, thanks to elimination of trade barriers, Europe managed to overcome quickly post-war poverty and on the contrary, it managed to start steep curve of economic growth.

However, the common market of the EU, this powerful tool, cannot show its full power. It cannot show it because not all countries of the Union have equal access to it. I very appreciate the fact that the Kingdom of Sweden restricts neither free movement of workers nor free movement of services. But this is rather an exception among old countries.

If citizens and firms of new countries have free movement of workers and services restricted, all participants will lose in the end, because the optimal allocation of resources cannot take place. Let us change it.

The common market of the EU is also deformed by ineffective and expensive agricultural policy. It swallows money of tax-payers, makes foodstuff more expensive, it hampers use of cheaper resources from third countries. Let us reform it.

The common market suffers from useless regulations, directives (e.g. prices for roaming), subsidies and bureaucracy. It is necessary to overhaul again directives of the EU and to maintain only those, which guarantee sound competition, equal conditions, guarantees of fairness, and enforcement of laws. The other things are just ballast.

That, I was speaking about, could be summarized by one keynote: Europe without barriers. That is the motto of the Czech presidency in the first half of 2009. And Sweden will follow our presidency over the Council of the EU immediately.

I believe it will be possible to cooperate effectively with Sweden on objectives of the presidency, on the liberalization of the EU. Our two countries belong to those countries, which push through greater liberalization, after all. Together, we will have greater chances to push through something in the Council of the EU.

Our interests are equal in many aspects. Sweden is pure payer to the budget of the EU and we self-confidently think that in some couple of years will be payers, as well. We do not belong among those, who would want to extent subsidy policy of the EU. On the contrary, we prefer cutting taxes, which would be for the benefit of trade.

Sweden is our model as to quality. And I believe that accent on quality, on innovations, on demandingness of the market in the sense of high requirements of customers is much better driving force of economy than no matter how well-meant regulation or no matter how generous support of funds of the EU.

I am, as the Prime Minister, proud of the fact that Czech firms manage to penetrate in hard and demanding Swedish market. It gives evidence that the Czech quality counts for a lot. And I am for strict and also clear and fair trade rules. I believe that our two countries will not get lost in the economic map of the EU and of the world.

I believe that Czech entrepreneurs are not afraid of such an excellent competition, which is represented by Swedish firms and that they will confirm this in the spirits of words of Henry Ford: "There is no disgrace in honest failure; there is disgrace in fearing to fail."

Thank you for your attention.