Real scope and limits. The vigorous re-launch of cooperation between France and Germany represents the first large-scale political event of this month of June. The title of the joint document, distributed by these two engines of the EU ahead of the summit at the end of the month, is telling in itself: “France and Germany together to strengthen a Europe of stability and growth”. EUROPE 10857 reported on its presentation by Angela Merkel and François Hollande in Paris and we published the text in our Europe Documents series. Let me add a few remarks.
This text firstly eliminates the tendency of taking distance from Germany - a tendency to which some French forces in the majority in power have fallen prey. The Franco-German alliance, which was at the basis of the birth of the first European Community - that of coal and steel - over half a century ago, is being re-asserted. The initial result is to eliminate the idea of a geographical split between Mediterranean Europe (including France) on one side, and Central and Eastern Europe on the other. Several economic and monetary signs show that this risk was real - fortunately it has now been removed. The restored solidarity between France and Germany does not of course exclude the possibility of different approaches on certain files and it does not, in particular, create a duo-leadership in the Community framework. In Paris, as in Berlin, opening up to other member states has been stressed. This renewed Franco-German alliance will have positive effects in this period (which, in my opinion, is creative) of European construction, while respecting partial national autonomy in the implementation and management of the common decisions.
The Franco-German document re-asserts the principles and approaches, without claiming to impose future European decisions. It underlines that Berlin and Paris will present a joint contribution to prepare for the next summit.
Eurozone autonomy. The autonomy of the eurozone in the Community framework is re-asserted. France and Germany particularly support: - more regular summits; - a full-time president of the Eurogroup at finance minister level; - and a specific structure for the eurozone within the European Parliament. As we well know, this last point is contested within the European Parliament itself (see further).
The conclusion to the document is a solemn one - “We, France and Germany, invite our partners and the European institutions to reflect upon these proposals” with the outlook of the summit at the end of June and the objective of the measures indicated being adopted in the next two years. Sometimes, a timetable is set out - in particular, the consolidation or relaunch of European industrialisation would be raised at the summit in June, ahead of being the subject of in-depth debate at the summit in February 2014. Among the subjects to be discussed in common is also the efficiency of the public sector.
According to some information, the development of a few aspects of the document was not always easy. For example, Paris would have liked detailed indications on energy - in relation perhaps to the repercussions of American shale gas on the industry. Germany is not (or not yet?) ready. Overall, the breadth of positions and approaches is impressive.
Intergovernmental slide? Several Community circles have wondered about the institutional aspect of the Franco-German document - does it not involve a slide from the Community method towards the intergovernmental method? Angela Merkel has just stated, in an interview in Der Spiegel, that she does not see any need to abandon more national powers - the coordination of economic policies must be strengthened without giving new powers to Brussels.
Sylvie Goulard MEP, who is always careful with regard to this, has stressed two requirements: (i) the creation, within the European Parliament, of a eurozone parliamentary representation, so that the eurozone might be given European democratic legitimacy; (ii) in the monetary domain, the formal recognition of the role of the European Commission, which must be similar to that which it holds for trade and the single market - “the Community method is essential”.
Let me also recall that the authorities in Berlin have organised the welcome, and technical and language training, of Spanish citizens in order to prepare them for stable jobs in Germany. This is an application of the free movement of persons - one of the pillars of European unity. We will return to this.
(FR/transl.fl)