Efficiency at institutions. This is an encouraging and positive initiative for the future of Europe. I acknowledge that initially I did not greet the setting up of the “Spinelli Group for a Federal and Post-National Europe” with any gushing enthusiasm. Obviously, I welcomed it but I had a few concerns about whether it was necessary. The European Federalist Movement has been around a long time, the Altiero Spinelli Institute for Federalist Studies also exists (see this column in EUROPE 10207); another body is welcome but its effectiveness still needs to be proved. Nonetheless, the presentation of the project by the four figures promoting it - Guy Verhofstadt, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Isabelle Durant and Sylvie Goulard (see the report in the following page)- has led me to understand that I was wrong. The new group could play an important role in the guidance and development of European construction. What I mean is that it could play a role that goes further than just warning about any drift away from the European project and condemning it - it could help towards developing efficient action within the institutions.
The new group does not intend to develop any theoretical project for a federal Europe but it is proposing Community-driven concrete action in the daily life of European construction. The essential objective can be summarised as “push forward European integration and stand up against encroaching nationalism and intergovernmentalism that is beginning to undermine European unity”. In addition to the aspects mentioned in our report, the “Manifesto” affirms that “in the new world, every European country is a small country … clinging to national sovereignties and intergovernmentalism is not only warfare against the European spirit; it is but an addiction to political impotence”.
Three levels. In order to act effectively, the Spinelli Group will in practice operate at three levels, as is explained in detail in the following pages:
a) the possibility of every citizen supporting the Manifesto and joining the initiative.
b) a committee of senior figures who have played and continue to play a role in European construction including, notably, Jacques Delors, as well as other national parliamentarians such as Sandro Gozi.
c) MEPs who are able to put words into action within the institutional framework. In addition to the four people promoting the project (mentioned above) other figures that are already involved include Elmar Brok, Andrew Duff, Danuta Hubner, Róza Thun; the door is open, irrespective of political allegiance.
The Steering Committee is made up of senior figures and parliamentarians and by meeting before European Council sessions, as the Shadow Council, it will be able to discuss subjects which the heads of state and government will be debating, according to the modalities and objectives outlined below.
A few ideas. I will provide a preliminary insight into the detailed indications, which readers can find in the following pages. Guy Verhofstadt indicated that MEPs will act as a political network and that the Spinelli Group will also launch new areas of construction, such as the creation of a European army. Daniel Cohn-Bendit underlined the “foreign policy” aspect (the EU does not even have a common position on an “Afghanistan exit strategy”) and also mentioned the relaunch of the forthcoming constitutional debate, which will, for example, give a genuinely Community character to European elections and put into practice the own resources for the EU budget. Both of them mentioned the possibility of moving forward through enhanced co-operation as stipulated in the Lisbon Treaty (which would allow, if necessary, the misgivings of one or another member state on a given subject, to be overcome). They also emphasise that the European Parliament can “use the enormous powers” already available to it, more. They mentioned funding Community activity, in this connection. Mr Cohn-Bendit pointed out that the EP can block the adoption of a new annual budget: in this case the provisional twelfths correspond to the previous year's funding, which would prevent any reduction of resources. Sylvie Goulard highlighted the fact that the euro was going well and Mr Cohn Bendit spoke about the real fairytales regarding the weakness of the euro and its future disappearance. He regretted that, faced with the Greek crisis, member states had needed five months to intervene: but when they had intervened, they proved that the EU existed and that it could take action. Mr Verhofstadt emphasised the extent to which European economic governance is indispensable, at least for the eurozone.
It is now becoming apparent: the Spinelli Group considers itself as an operational actor in European construction, in the same way Altiero Spinelli was in his time. This is its strength underpinning its raison d'être. (F.R./transl.fl)