A regrettable misunderstanding. The scant or misdirected interest displayed by most of the media towards the ongoing revolution in the economic and financial spheres (see this column yesterday) is due in large part to a misunderstanding. The EU is currently developing instruments and procedures that will help control the behaviour of the financial world by putting a definitive halt to the aberrations of the past, and implementing the European economic government that is able to commonly define the orientations to which all member states (particularly those in the eurozone) are committed. At the same time, the public is not being called on to evaluate the rules and procedures but simply the measures of application that directly affect them. These European measures require that budgetary deficits and public debt are controlled and reduced, which involves disciplined spending and often pension reform: it is towards these national reforms that people are responding, while being unaware of their Community origin. Nonetheless, the two aspects are closely linked: it is the European mechanisms that determine the stability of the euro and enable member states to finance themselves in favourable conditions and it is European solidarity that supports countries in difficulty and sometimes saves them from bankruptcy. The Community rules, procedures and instruments that already partly exist and that are partly in the process of being developed, allow for the behaviour of the financial world to be monitored and ban and sanction the aberrations of the past.
In transparency. At a European level, everything takes place in complete transparency and with the participation of all institutions: the Commission, which represents the general interest and where all the nationalities are represented; the European Council, which brings together the heads of state and government under a permanent and autonomous presidency; the Council, made up of ministers responsible for the different domains in discussion; and, with increasingly more authority, the elected European Parliament, which has finally become co-legislator in all spheres, on a par with the Council. The image of an anonymous monster which imposes decisions from Brussels does not correspond with reality in the least. Participation in the EU is a choice freely made by the people in all the different member states. Every single member state requested accession and others are continuing to insist on joining the EU. The door is always open to those that might want to leave. My apologies for this reminder of what the Community is all about but it is sometimes necessary.
Essential decisions are taken in common. We need to go beyond the superficial impression of the Community institutions only being about instruments and procedures. It is, in fact, the contrary that is true. The first European economic and financial semester, which begins at the beginning of next year, will discuss the content of the new national budgets and the economic policies of each country. An increasing part of the work is already focusing on the contents of these policies and the measures that will be taken. The document on the deepening of the internal market, which will be presented by the European Commission next month, (EUROPE 10207) will announce a series of operational initiatives primarily dealing with enterprise but which also directly affect citizens. Even harmonisation of the corporate tax band (level of taxation to be levied) will be relaunched. Michel Barnier's opinion on the subject is the antithesis of his predecessor. Other projects will be discussed such as: an action plan against industrial pirating and counterfeiting; putting into practice the Community patent; legal security for services of general interest (this sensitive issue has been dragging on for years) and group actions. And what is going to be said about the new industrial policy, an increasingly burning issue whose principles and rules can only be established at a Community level? The Commission has announced that there will be a document on this subject at the end of November. In practice, it is ultimately the EUROPE 2020 strategy that will prove decisive for economic and social development in all member states. The decisions taken at European level involve the climate and the Community organisation of energy networks, which will have a direct influence on both companies and the daily life of every single citizen.
Public opinion and European citizens should gradually begin to understand that their future, as well as the evolution of the societies in which they live, increasingly depend on common orientations and decisions. All political leaders, up to the highest level, are increasingly aware of this and no member state, no matter how powerful or prosperous, has any weight at a global level. Only Europe as a whole can get its voice heard and take efficient action.
(F.R./transl.fl)
European Parliament plenary session