United we stand: Fischer’s keynote
Dropping a perspective-bending statement on your audience is always a great way to start a speech. Fischer’s eye-opener was that the critical factor is launching our “new world” was the Berlin Wall coming down: “The real beginning of globalization came with the end of the Cold War.” This post-Cold War Europe is well served by its expansion and integration into the European Union.
But this combined strength is not enough by itself to ensure European success. “Europe is an old country. It’s not the age; it’s the mindset – that’s our greatest challenge.” Because a new competitive reality has emerged and “we have leaders, but not leadership.” He believes the business community needs to step up – and that the summit meeting in Copenhagen next month is the golden opportunity: “Copenhagen is seen to be about climate change, but it’s really about the economic future – it is a huge opportunity for the business community to show that the private sector is ready to move ahead.”
