Strasbourg, 20/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - Generally answering in English, the president of the European Commission spoke with ease (he pointed out that he had taken part in this kind of debate at the Portuguese parliament) in response to questions put by MEPs, most of whom expressed concerns about employment and the social situation in Europe. The debate, which was a disappointment to some observers who felt it was rather flat, was in some ways a sort of trial run, with the president's question time taking place every month from now on.
In response to a first question on employment raised by British Labour member Stephen Hugues, José Manuel Barroso reaffirmed his commitment in favour of employment. “I wanted a job summit”, he said, not without regretting that some member states had wanted to review it downward. He went on to call for pressure to be put on member states. Evoking poverty and exclusion, he did not hesitate to speak of “social urgency in some member states”. In answer to the president of the GUE/NGL Group, Lothar Bisky of Germany, he said it was necessary to pursue the recovery policy until 2011. The fight against unemployment and against the poverty of young people are very important priorities, the Commission president repeated on several occasions, saying that unemployment has reached 9.1% in the EU and that it is twice this among the young and migrants. He said measures taken include the €5.5 billion devoted to re-launching the economy, the proposal aimed at doing away with the obligation of social fund co-funding (he hoped member states that block this proposal will change their position as there are states that quite simply do not have the means to ensure such co-funding), and the rise in the threshold of state aid to €500,000 to support SMEs. Stressing the importance of training, he mainly evoked the proposal concerning apprenticeship grants, saying in passing that “Commissioner Spidla has done an excellent job”.
“On Friday evening, Neelie Kroes announced there were significant indications that German aid to Opel ran counter to European state aid and internal market rules (…). Günter Verheugen, on the other hand, does not have a problem and said on the radio that the 'new Opel' was on the right road. Yesterday, a CDU colleague even asked Ms Kroes to be called to order. A commissioner that he described as 'highly controversial', 'not objective' and 'anti-German'. A commissioner that cannot put Europe upside down two weeks before the end of her mandate. Ms Kroes is, I believe, simply doing her job”, said Belgian Liberal Guy Verhofstadt, before going on to ask President Barroso whether he supports his commissioner or not. “I have always supported by commissioners (…). Ms Kroes' decision was taken with my approval. (…). We called for details from German authorities and we shall look at the answers on the basis of economic criteria”, said José Manuel Barroso.
In response to Nigel Farage (UKIP, UK) who questioned Barroso on Tony Blair, “the bookmakers' favourite for the post of European Council president”, on the passage in force in Ireland and on the democratic nature of the EU that only exists, he said, to provide a pension for former prime ministers, President Barroso first of all commented that Ireland has made “a declaration of independence”, adding: “You campaigned and the voters in Ireland said no”. The European Council president must be a “committed European”, said José Manuel Barroso, before going on to add: “I am in favour of a strong president of the European Council”.
French Socialist Pervenche Beres asked Barroso about how the Commission would be organised and portfolios distributed. “It is not up to the heads of state or government to share out the portfolios. It is up to the president of the Commission (…). Even today, I sent a letter to all to ask them to send female candidates also. Because if I do nothing, governments will only send men”, he replied without entering into the matter of dividing out the portfolios.
President Barroso also answered questions on:
- transition from the Nice Treaty to the Lisbon Treaty. “The European Council has decided that commissioners will not be appointed until there is legal clarity (…) The Commission is doing business as usual until 1 November (…) We do not control the calendar”.
- the risk of failure at the Copenhagen conference. “I am concerned by the slow rate of progress”, President Barroso admitted in answer to a question from German Green member Rebecca Harms. He added: “The EU is the only block that has so far undertaken something in a binding manner (…). We are pleased with the positive announcement made by the Japanese prime minister, but it is only an announcement”.
- sustainable growth: British Liberal Democrat Graham Watson asked Barroso about his commitment in favour of a method of growth that is not consumption oriented, to which Barroso said “smart green sustainable growth” and innovation should be at the heart of all development strategies in coming years.
- persons with disabilities: in response to a question from EPP Hungarian member Adam Kosa, who spoke in sign language, Mr Baroso pointed out that the Commission presented a proposal for a horizontal directive to combat discrimination that also included persons with disabilities, but that this problem cannot be resolved without adequate measures taken by national social systems. (O.J./transl.jl)