The truth on the past so as to look at the future. Jacques Delors was in Brussels last week and in his interviews with journalists (especially Béatrice Delvaux and Jurek Kuczkiewicz from the newspaper Le Soir, who questioned him at length) he gave his opinion on current events, clarifying at the same time the significance of certain events in the past which today have been forgotten - or are little known and sometimes badly interpreted.
Jacques Delors understands that public opinion is currently dogged by personal problems and that everyone is concerned with the difficulties that he meets in his everyday life, but Delors is convinced that it is at the European level - and not at all through national withdrawal - that everyone's situation of can be improved. The states that imagine themselves with the weight of the world on their shoulders are very much mistaken. The EU must move forward as a whole. If some member states don't agree with one development or another, Delors thinks it is preferable - rather than blocking things for all - to allow what is known as the two-speed Europe, and he prefers to make this differentiation clear.
Why the differentiation? Here is what he says: “If Europe has moved forward and has been boosted since 1985, it is because we have applied this differentiation. If we had waited for everyone to set up Schengen, we would never have had anything in this domain. The same goes for the euro.” The Genscher formula (the former vice-chancellor of Germany) remains the best in Delors' opinion: “A group of countries must not move forward ignoring the others - but those who do not want to move forward cannot prevent the others from doing so, in respect of the common rules.” The eurozone is strengthened cooperation in progress. Of course, the differentiation is not simple - there are the 17 countries of the eurozone and the 27 countries of the EU; 25 countries signed the Fiscal Compact and then there are those who did not sign it. It is complicated but “believe me, if the eurozone was to be consolidated as enhanced cooperation, it would do its work and we could move on to other subjects that are more interesting for all 27”.
The progress must therefore be parallel - consolidating EMU (economic and monetary union) and providing prospects for the Europe of 27: “Strengthening the eurozone must not frighten the other countries who are not in it, nor must they say that they are citizens of the second zone”.
Questioned about the attitude of Guy Verhofstadt and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who advocate a European Federation which is less concerned about the national identities that Delors respects, he replied: “They are playing a positive role”.
Budgetary discipline must be accompanied. In Jacques Delors' view, it is too superficial and too simple to attribute responsibility for the current difficulties to an ideological doctrine. It is not the euro which is being questioned, it is the jackassery of the governments. The “Delors Committee” report of 1989 should have been followed, which provided loud and clear for double discipline - in other words, the balance between monetary discipline and economic discipline. Indeed this balance has not been taken up in the operational texts - it has never existed. This was the first defect. Endeavours are currently under way to try and correct this by establishing the balance.
The second defect is the absence of explicit rules for the financial world - we are now in the midst of introducing them. Budgetary rigour is crucial but it must be accompanied by control of the financial world, otherwise it is unfair and ineffective.
In favour of a budgetary initiative. In the face of the battle that is currently ongoing regarding the 2014-2020 budgetary framework, Jacques Delors advocates an initiative that would prolong the measures under way for economic recovery - increasing the European budget by 20%, and dedicating this additional money to growth in general, to green growth and economic development. And he explained: “If Europe is not reasonably able - taking account of the effort that the governments must make - to pave the way to hope through economic recovery and social solidarity, it risks failure”. The initiative could be taken by the European Parliament. Mr Delors has confidence in its president, Martin Schulz, who has the necessary talent and energy.
Re-establishing the Community method. In conclusion, it is crucial - in Jacques Delors' view - to re-establish the correct functioning of the Community method. The triple process - preparing the debates, making decisions in common, and implementing them effectively - is increasingly “ignored by governments, and indeed brutally marginalised”. And Jacques Delors added: “When the Community method works, the discussions at the European Council become easier and the message that is given is clear and simple”.
These are instructive remarks the day before the summit. (FR/transl.fl)