Brussels, 07/07/2010 (Agence Europe) -The Belgian Presidency of the EU benefits from enormous depths of confidence and sympathy at the European Parliament, despite the fact that Belgium is being governed by a caretaker government and is currently racked by a political and institutional crisis of which the result (an impact on the European presidency) cannot yet be predicted. This is the main conclusion drawn from the debate following the presentation of the six Belgian priorities by Prime Minister Yves Leterme on Wednesday, 7 July in Strasbourg. Based on the five following areas (sustainable economic growth, social cohesion, environment, the Justice/freedom/security area and EU action on the world scene), Leterme informed MEPs that the work programme of the Belgian Presidency aims, above all, to “ make fewer promises and achieve more results”. He also said that they aimed to “get Europe up and running again”. The fact that Belgian leaders are currently in a caretaker situation “gives us the advantage that we can deal with the European presidency on a full-time basis”, added the prime minister. All the political groups at the European Parliament, with the exception of the EFD (Europe of Freedom and Democracy) and certain non-attached MEPs, expressed their support for this Belgian Presidency (already the 12th). Leterme was clearly pleased with the positive welcome and encouragement from MEPs and promised to do everything “to prove that we deserve this trust”. At the end of the debate he said: “I get the feeling that we will be able to become partners for taking Europe forward”.
For the EPP Group, Joseph Daul welcomed the fact that the Belgian Presidency “had not fallen into the trap” of presenting a long catalogue of priorities (as other Presidencies had done before it) which would be impossible to accomplish and which often created disillusion. He said that the Belgian Presidency had concentrated on the three “real priorities: economic growth, the environment, security and freedom”. Daul was also delighted with this Presidency's unfailing support for the “Community method”. Martin Schulz, the leader of the Socialist Group (S&D), also mentioned an “ambitious programme”. He explained that thanks to its profoundly pro-European tradition and attitude, this Belgian Presidency is a “great opportunity” for pushing forward European integration. Schulz said that the package on financial supervision is particularly important and should be adopted under the Belgian Presidency. The EP vote in a first reading on this text - which notably includes implementation of the three new authorities in charge of supervising the banks, insurers and financial markets - was postponed until the autumn. The head of the Socialists said that if the Council wanted, and if it was prepared to make the necessary concessions, the package could be definitively adopted with the EP in September. Schulz also welcomed the fact that the Belgian Presidency intended to put relations with Africa right at the top of the European agenda. With regard to Turkey, he asked Belgium to initiate a “clarification” debate at the Council on what the EU27 really wanted. Schulz said that the current “ambiguous situation”, where the EU carried out accession negotiations whilst several heads of state and government openly said that they did not want Turkey in the EU, could not continue “because this is the best way of destroying our good relations with Turkey”. He also pointed out that he remained in favour of the country's accession. Guy Verhofstadt, the head of the Liberal Group (ALDE), who led the last Belgian Presidency of the EU in 2001, assured Leterme of his group's “full support … because Belgian Presidencies have not always pushed European integration forward”. He pointed out that the EU had not always done what it should have for finding an exit strategy to the economic and financial crisis, and called on the Belgian Presidency to focus on five budget measures: recapitalisation of the banks, strengthening the Stability and Growth Pact (“with the Commission and the ECB in the cockpit and not the member states”), implementation of genuine economic governance (“with the Commission in command”), regulation of financial services, and European supervision of the financial markets and banks. Rebecca Harms, the co-president of the Greens, said that she wanted the Belgian Presidency to clarify the relationship between the rotating presidency of the EU and the permanent president of the European Council, “who cannot become the representative of the big member states alone”. Speaking on behalf the Conservative Group (ECR), Derk Jan Eppink from Belgium, requested that the Belgian Presidency focus on the strengthening of the Stability Pact and budgetary discipline, to save the euro. On the other hand, he spoke out against an increase in the Community budget (“1% of GDP is sufficient”) and against the EU having its own resources. Patrick Le Hyaric (GUE/NGL) welcomed the fact that social cohesion was part of the Belgian priorities but said that he was afraid that this ambition would remain a “dead letter”, particularly because budgetary discipline advocated everywhere in Europe went against greater social solidarity. He added that there would be no economic growth without a real increase in citizens' purchasing power. Nigel Farage (EFD) said that Leterme and his caretaker government had absolutely no legitimacy in presiding over the EU. The British MEP was sarcastic about the fact that a resigning prime minister of a country on the “edge of breaking up” wanted to tell 26 other European countries what they had to do. Philip Claeys (NI) from the Belgian Vlaams Belang was on the same wavelength. He said that the praise provided by the European Parliament to the Belgian Presidency made him think about the orchestra playing on the Titanic. The Flemish MEP said that he was sure and certain that Belgium would not have a new government during the Belgian Presidency. Claeys said that the EU should prepare for Belgium splitting into two and having two new candidate countries: Flanders and Wallonia. Many Belgian MEPs spoke during the debate. Jean-Luc Dehaene (EPP) said that during the next negotiating meeting on climate change next December in Cancun, the European Commission should speak and negotiate on behalf of the EU27, “which is the case during trade negotiations at the WTO”. Frédérique Ries (ALDE) agreed: “There is no longer any question of going as ten members to Cancun (which was the case in Copenhagen in December 2009), we need to speak with a single voice”. Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) said that during this European year against poverty, the Belgian Presidency should defend the idea “of a guaranteed European minimum income”. Philippe Lamberts (Greens) appealed to the Belgian Presidency “to score a goal very early on in the match” by ensuring a swift agreement on financial supervision, if possible by September. To achieve this goal, he pointed out that the Council had to shift and had to shift rapidly. Werner Langen (EPP, Germany) added: “If you get the package on supervision through, you will be one of the most successful Presidencies of recent years”. (H.B./transl.fl)