Several news items reported upon in this newsletter in the past few days deserve to be commented upon.
No free trade agreement with Japan any time soon. At the EU-Japan summit in Tokyo on Wednesday, Herman Van Rompuy and José Manuel Barroso bowed to the Japanese prime minister's desires and did not refuse to discuss the matter, but made extremely cautious noises. All that was decided at the summit was to set up a high-level group to report back and make suggestions in six months' time “as a prelude to a possible free trade deal”. This is diplomatic speak for “We're preparing a report for the heads of state to examine at next year's summit...”
There are disagreements over some areas of trade (outlined in issue 10128) but I happen to believe that the hesitation is due to a longer view being taken. Trading conditions are gaining in importance - non-tariff barriers, respect for intellectual property, quality control and the like. Japan is not a country that is particularly difficult in these domains - quite the opposite, in fact - but the time of general euphoria about free trade as a panacea to solve all the world's problems is a thing of the past. Nowadays, people understand that things are just not that simple.
Energy and foreign policy. The agreement between Russia and the Ukraine on natural gas and also the Russian military base in Sebastopol are of direct interest to Europe and illustrates the close connection between energy issues and foreign policy. Much of Russia's gas exports to the EU travels though Ukraine and disagreements between Russia and the Ukraine have already led to hiccoughs in European gas supplies. This danger has now been removed. Moreover, the agreement will enable Russia to get involved in updating Ukrainian gas transit infrastructure, which the EU has already directly committed itself to. Member states that are highly reliant on Russian gas, Poland for example, can now breathe more easily. Obviously this does not prevent the EU from actively pursuing alternative supply pipeline plans, whether they pass through Russia, like the Nabucco pipeline, or circumvent it. Meanwhile, Turkey has signed a deal with Azerbaijan on gas supplies for Nabucco and progress is being made in other energy projects.
The military side of the Russia-Ukraine deal is just as important for Europe because the deal currently in place will expire in 2017 and Russia is clearly not going to abandon the Crimea and the Black Sea. Some Ukrainian politicians opposed the deal, which is understandable, but one cannot turn one's back on history. Crimea was part of Russia right up until 1954 (when Khrushchev signed it over to Ukraine) and there has been a Russian military base at Sebastopol ever since the time of Catherine the Great. The new deal gives a breathing space to sort out the problem (until 2042). Meanwhile, Ukraine will continue to get its gas on the cheap. In Brussels and Strasbourg, the Ukrainian prime minister said that Ukraine's aim was closer ties with the European Union at the same time as good relations with Russia. I believe this is a wise and positive move for all concerned, irrespective of what is claimed.
Urgent need for diplomatic corps. The need for the new EEAS (diplomatic corps) to get off the ground as soon as possible is becoming clearer by the day. EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, briefed the European Parliament on the review of the EU's strategy for Central Asia recently (see issue 10128).
He made a direct connection between the EEAS and setting up EU representation offices in each of the five Central Asian countries (there is not yet any such office in Uzbekistan or in Turkmenistan) to ensure the EU has a full diplomatic network. This is a typical example of why it is desirable for the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers to reach agreement on setting up the new diplomatic corps as quickly as possible.
Is the Single European Sky on its way? I would like to comment on the aviation industry's enthusiasm for the European Commission's plans to introduce air traffic control at EU level in Europe. After the recent closure of air space due to clouds of volcanic dust from Iceland, opponents of the European project were quick to slam the EU for not taking action. I have already pointed out in this column that the Commission does not have any powers over air traffic control so such criticisms are daft, amounting to opponents of Brussels criticising Brussels for not having enough powers! EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas has unveiled a series of measures which, if introduced, would remedy the current lack of coordination and the huge waste and inefficiency generated by the lack of cooperation (see issue 10127). Airports and the aviation industry are delighted at the move, all of them wanting the EU to get involved in air traffic control (see issue 10128).
People and the economy alike need more integration, rather than less.
(F.R./transl.fl)