Some aspects of “Barroso doctrine”. Last week, following the debate on the state of the Union, José Manuel Barroso held a meeting with a number of journalists. Agence EUROPE respects the informal nature of such meetings. A Spanish newspaper provided a detailed account of this meeting and once something is published, it is obviously no longer confidential. The president of the Commission reaffirmed his conviction that it was neither useful nor appropriate for the Commission to present proposals that have no chance of succeeding and that its proposals must have a chance of going through. This does not mean a lack of courage or ambition, ambitious projects must be prepared. Mr Barroso spoke in favour of Eurobonds, even though some member states do not like them. The Commission defends the common European interest. It often criticises one or other of the member states if it observes that infringements have been made and it does not hesitate to launch procedures in this connection. Nonetheless, it respects all the institutions. The European Council is a Community institution. The European Parliament is elected by the citizens. Governments are also chosen by the citizens: states are not the embodiment of the devil, as some claim to be the case. EU countries are inter-dependent and at a global level they have no weight unless they are united. In Europe “all the different countries are small”. The major global powers observe us and are always asking whether the EU will act as a whole or as 27 different countries. Both perseverance and objectives are needed: the EU has just accepted the principle of European financial supervision, which, just two years ago, appeared impossible.
There is no mystery surrounding the fact that certain aspects of this Barroso doctrine are not appreciated by everybody. At the European Parliament, the idea that the Commission must prepare initiatives it deems useful, even though they appear unrealistic, has its supporters. Jacques Delors often points out that neither the common currency nor the Schengen area would exist if the EU had had to wait for unanimity to launch them, and he is not hiding the fact that his Energy Community project could be developed through enhanced cooperation between member states that want to participate in it. Guy Verhofstadt is not hiding the fact that the strengthening of European construction as he advocates should accept “differentiation” between EU countries. Mr Barroso considers that, as president of the Commission, he has to address all member states without forgetting, nonetheless, the opportunities for enhanced cooperation provided under the Lisbon Treaty.
It is in light of the previous considerations that the speech by Mr Barroso on the state of the Union and the initiatives that he is announcing and advocating should be evaluated. I would like to look at a number of points in this speech.
1. Eurobonds. He said: “I intend to propose the creation of European bonds for funding projects (EU project bonds), in collaboration with the European Investment Bank”. This will help to finance major infrastructure projects of common interest, which go beyond national borders. He mentioned the inter-connection between energy networks because “gas pipelines and high-tension cables should not recognise borders”.
2. Supervision of national budgets. Mr Barroso made a robust defence of the demand to control national budgetary spending because “debt and deficit create instability and the undoing of social protection”. Servicing the debt reduces resources available for welfare: “an indebted generation compromises the future of the nation”. Supervision must be increased and rules must become stricter, “the Commission will strengthen its role as independent arbiter and guarantor of respect for the new rules”. He also added: “We will make monetary union into genuine economic union”.
3. The budget and own resources. The current budgetary system is only held together thanks to a “convoluted game of corrections”. Mr Barroso said that he is aware of the fact that “not everyone will share all of the ideas that we are putting forward” but added that he considered it extraordinary that “some people reject them before they even know the contents of them” (an allusion to the polemic created with regard to the British rebate? EUROPE 10208). He gave his support to a 10 year budgetary framework, with a re-examination of the financial dimension after five years and announced an examination of the Commission's operational costs and those for other Community bodies (he mentioned some of the agencies whose expenditure is sometimes subject to criticism) in view of eradicating “pockets of inefficiency”. He also suggested the possibility of own resources for the EU, whilst underlining that he would avoid any proposals that did not have a chance of being approved.
It is on these aspects and a few others that the action of Mr Barroso should be assessed.
(F.R./transl.fl)