MACSHANE LAUNCHES "TOUR DE BRITAIN" TO CELEBRATE 30 YEARS IN EUROPE
Europe Minister Denis MacShane is today launching a UK-wide tour to mark Britain''s 30-year membership of the European Union. As the EU expands to take up to ten new countries, Dr MacShane is keen to keep Europe in touch with its grassroots.
The visit is part of the government''s commitment to arguing the case for positive and confident engagement in Europe directly with the public across the country.
In his keynote speech to be delivered in Newcastle this morning, Dr MacShane will say:
"Next year marks thirty years of British membership of the EU. In that time, we have broken down the barriers to the movement of goods across the continent, bringing huge benefits to businesses.
Now we need to bring down the barriers to understanding what the EU does. Europe''s greatest achievement has been to create harmony between its peoples. Its greatest challenge for the future is to create harmony with its peoples.
I want a British public that sees what the EU does and understands what it is trying to achieve. A public confident enough in its own identity not to fear its European identity. In short, I want a British public which is the best informed in Europe."
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. January 1st marks the thirtieth anniversary of the UK''s accession to the then EEC.
2. Newcastle and Middlesborough are the first stops of a series of visits Denis MacShane is undertaking across the UK.
3. In Newcastle, Dr MacShane will attend a women''s seminar on the EU; deliver a keynote speech ''The EU and the public''; launch the Newcastle City Council''s new electronic information kiosks; give an opening address at ''Europe for Councils, Councils for Europe'' conference at University of Newcastle and visit the European Youth Summit in North Tyneside.
4. In Middlesborough, Dr MacShane will attend a Reception hosted by North East Chamber of Commerce at the EU-funded University of Teesside Centre for Enterprise, and visit the Virtual Reality Centre, University of Teesside.
News Department, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AH
