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59th International Liberal Congress, Rotterdam
Welcome in the Netherlands and welcome in Rotterdam, the city with the largest port in the Western World. It is an honour to have so many liberals from all over the world in the city that symbolizes international trade and economic freedom.
After its destruction during the Second World War, this city was built from the ground up again. This was done through the hard work of our entrepreneurs and made possible by the freedom that was regained after the liberation from this War. The freedom for entrepreneurs to develop new ideas, to invest and to produce. The freedom to trade with one another, here in Europe and – through the port of this city – with the rest of the world. Like no other city, Rotterdam knows that freedom should not be taken for granted. That freedom needs to be defended. And that an economy can only thrive in a secure environment.
In Europe however, security has become something that we seem to have taken for granted, thanks to the protection that the United States has provided the past decades through NATO. For too long, Europe has relied on the extraordinary contribution of the United States in this transatlantic alliance. Nowadays, as much as three quarters of the funding of NATO comes from the United States.
During these past few decades, instead of investing in defence, Western-Europe has focused on building extensive welfare states. Here in the Netherlands for example, defence spending has declined to 7,5 billion euro: half of what was spent a few decades ago. While during that same time, healthcare spending has doubled to almost 80 billion euro. Of course, by no doubt, it is important to have a good health care system. But we have to ask ourselves: what is the meaning of an extensive ‘social security’ when your ‘basic security’, the security of your nation, is being threatened? When your economy and your freedom is being threatened? When in the end, your job is being threatened?
These questions deserve a fundamental debate in Europe. The United States will not finance our security indefinitely. As a result of shifting interests, the United Stated is repositioning its foreign security policy away from Europe and the Middle East and towards Asia where new markets are emerging. Where new economic interests of the United States are emerging.
This strategic shift is made possible for the United States because of its recent energy independence. The International Energy Agency predicted that the United States will even become a larger energy producer than Saudi Arabia. The Agency added that “The consequences of this development will be felt far beyond North America and far outside the energy industry”. And they are very right about that.
While the United States are moving their strategy away from Europe, geopolitical developments near European borders show us that the world becomes a less safe place. When we look towards Europe’s southern borders, we see a lot of change in the Arab world. For now, these developments have brought more instability and made international politics less predictable. Europe suffers the consequences immediately: large groups of migrants try to find their way into Europe to escape the insecurity in their own countries or try to find new economic freedom.
When we look towards Europe’s eastern borders, we see developments that many believed to be impossible for decades. Europe was convinced that peace and security had become self-evident and that military conflict on this continent was something from the past. The current situation in the Ukraine confronts us with a new – less optimistic – reality. Eastern-European states are now asking themselves necessary questions. What does it mean when borders can change so easily? What does it mean when states beyond your borders pursue a larger territory? What does it mean for your security? For the freedoms you have fought for? And for your economy, for your trade and for the jobs of ordinary people?
Security cannot be taken for granted. And the coming decades, Europe will have to do more to take care of its own security. NATO members agreed on spending two percent of their economies on defence. Only a handful of European states comply, but most of them do not, including the Netherlands. And while defence spending in Europe keeps on decreasing, spending in the rest of the world keeps on increasing.
Many nations in Europe argue that they cannot afford investing in their defence budgets. But the truth is, that we cannot afford going down this road of declining investments in our security. We cannot afford losing our freedom. Europe will have to invest more. World history teaches us that nations that refuse to do so, will not only lose their security, but eventually will lose their economic prosperity. In the end, they will lose much needed jobs right at home.
International trade and economic prosperity here in Rotterdam, would not be possible without security. Free shipping routes, free trade, free markets, the freedom to develop new ideas, to invest and to produce. The freedom to create welfare and to create jobs. It is the responsibility off all states to defend these freedoms.
I would like to wish you a wonderful congress. A congress where you can freely develop your ideas, invest in your relations and exchange your experiences and ambitions. So, for many years to come, we can work together to secure our freedoms and our welfare.
Halbe Zijlstra, April 25th 2014
