Czech PM: Europe, USA should have single free trade zone

Prague, Oct 8 (CTK) - Europe and the United States should lift the persisting trade barriers and create a single free trade zone, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) said at an international conference the USA and European Union Days Monday.

He said the alliance between the EU and the USA is becoming significant in view of the rise of new world powers, and it should be further deepened.

Public budgets' debts pose a common challenge, Necas said,

"In my opinion the two [free trade] zones should be interlinked with the joint aim to create a trans-Atlantic free trade zone. It should have been created a long time ago, ten or fifteen years ago," Necas said in his opening speech.

He said it is feasible to establish the Euro-American free trade zone by 2020, if there is political will.

"The most significant common challenge faced by both the USA and the EU are the public budgets' debts," Necas said.

He admitted that there are certain differences between the situation in Europe and in the USA.

Europe has its social democratic state model, different from the American tradition. "It will never reach the extent of individualism known from America," Necas said.

"We in Central Europe are glad that the western civilisation is a pluralist one, not monolithic, and that America is more American while Europe is more European. We'd like this to be preserved," Necas said.

The USA and European Union Days have been regularly held in the Czech Republic since 2002. The conference focuses on the importance of the Atlantic tie and on political topics related to the USA and the EU.

This year it will also deal with the forthcoming U.S. presidential elections. The speakers will include members of the former George Bush government, Richard Cheney and John Ashcroft, former British prime minister Gordon Brown and former Polish president Aleksander Kwansiewski.