Brussels, 11/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 11 October, former president of the European Commission Jacques Delors regretted that the member states often falsify the image of Brussels, turning it into a bogey-man.
He warned against the “trap” of revising the EU treaties to the United Kingdom's convenience to find a way round the UK leaving the EU.
In an interview with France Inter radio station, Jacques Delors explained that it's much easier when transposing legislation agreed upon by the European Summit of heads of state to blame it on Brussels. This makes Europe a kind of bogey-man, and governments do nothing to counter this. Delors pointed out that the decisions are made by the heads of state and all the Commission does is apply the decisions taken by the 28 heads of state.
Jacques Delors, who was president of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, criticised the EU's budget for 2014-2020 as minuscule, describing it as the biggest disappointment he'd ever had.
Commenting on the United Kingdom, which may hold a referendum before the end of 2017 on whether to remain in the EU, Delors said that was a matter for the UK to decide, but it is clear that the other EU member states cannot be forced to change the EU treaties to suit the UK, but this was probably a “trap” that would be set. British prime minister David Cameron has pledged to hold a referendum on Europe if he is re-elected in 2015. (LC/transl.fl)