Whilst we wait for the results of this week, which several protagonists and observers feel will be crucial for the future of the euro and of the EU, let us turn to a few other significant aspects of international political and economic current affairs.
EU and USA anticipate bilateral alternative to Doha Round. The trade plank of last week's EU-United States summit did not make many waves, for two reasons: everybody's attention was firmly focused on the financial crisis; those who attended the summit did not discuss this, as the “trade” text was approved by the TEC (Transatlantic Economic Council) the following day. This is why their bilateral work didn't really cause much of a stir (except in our bulletin - see EUROPE 10505 and 10506).
According to the TEC document, the EU and the United States anticipated the announced breakdown in the international trade negotiations known as the Doha Round, which have been underway for 10 years, and which will be officially noted by the WTO (World Trade Organisation) on 15 December. In practice, the TEC is recommending that the European Union and the United States negotiate a free-trade agreement between themselves, covering tariff and non-tariff barriers, as well as regulatory cooperation. Less ambitious wording has not been ruled out; the European commissioner who attended the press conference in Washington, and the American negotiator, talked of reinforcing bilateral economic and trade ties. The process is underway - an interim report is scheduled for June of next year, with the final report in a year's time; but certain aspects of this cooperation may take shape faster than that, such as strategies to get round obstacles to trade in raw materials.
Unsurprisingly, the EU and the United States seized the opportunity to stress their commitment to the multilateral trade system and to global free trade; they even recommended relaunching the Doha Round on the basis of “credible new approaches”. But at the same time, they underlined their commitment to bilateral progress to free up the “unexploited potential of new opportunities for growth and employment”.
I have laid considerable emphasis on this aspect of Euro-American relations, because it confirms a desire to work together to overcome overlapping economic, financial and social difficulties. This disclaims the theory that for the US to tighten its ties with Asia would mean slackening off those with Europe; quite the contrary, these remain a priority and are being reinforced still further.
Mediterranean: priorities of the new democracies. The results of the elections in the fledgling democracies of the southern shore of the Mediterranean show increasingly clearly that most of these populations are stressing the following, first and foremost: (a) they belong to the Muslim religion; (b) they are searching for work. Their choice of a specific party and drawing a distinction between the various political sensibilities of the competitor lists are a priority only for a minority, whose influence on the overall results is very small. This brings forth the weight and influence of the political forces in favour of imposing Sharia law as the basis for future legislations, keeping in place or bringing in limits to gender equality, controlling information resources, etc.
We may regret these developments, but the basic principle always remains the same: we must respect the choice of the people who have won their freedom, which obviously encompasses their right to select their governors and define their way of life. The EU was too hasty on two occasions: with its excessive enthusiasm to start with, as if these countries were immediately to accept and share all the European principles of religious freedom, gender equality and all the rest; and with its excessive disappointment later, in view of the results of a few elections and other developments.
These countries have become free and the masters of their own choices. It is the duty of the EU to work with them and to help them, whilst remaining faithful to its own principles, putting the case of the Salafis to one side: we have to accept that they have the vote of the people of some countries or other, but there is no question of making them interlocutors.
Cooperation must, however, bring with it reciprocity of commitments as regards freedom of religion, political rights (including equality between men and women, and respect for fundamental rights), the freedom of information sources, respect for the conditions of asylum rights. In addition, financial support must respond to strict conditions and real requirements, and there must be proper transparency over its use. (FR/transl.fl)