Brussels, 13/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - The head of the liberal group at the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, unveiled his draft report on the future of the European Union's institutional architecture at a meeting of the EP's institutional affairs committee on Tuesday 12 July.
The former Belgian prime ministers' aim is to allow the EU to focus on areas where it provides genuine value-added, such as foreign and defence policy, anti-terrorism, immigration or the economy, explains an ALDE press release.
Verhofstadt suggests cutting the number of European Commissioners to no more than 15 (from the current 28, one for each member state). He said 28 Commissioners weren't needed and it was difficult to find 28 different portfolios. Verhofstadt said the Commission should have just two vice-presidents, one for foreign affairs and one for the economy and financial services.
A failed attempt was made to reduce the size of the College of Commissioners in 2008 when Ireland rejected ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Ireland at that point had negotiated that each member state would keep a commissioner of its own nationality.
In order to tackle the member states' penchant for a “Europe a la carte” that allows opting out of European policies, the liberal leader opts for two types of contractual relations between member states and the Union: full membership on the one hand, and associate status on the other. Verhofstadt says this new setup could also be used as a framework for the EU's future cooperation with the United Kingdom.
On economic governance, the Belgian MEP proposes a “convergence code” setting out minimum social and economic standards in domains such as the labour market and pensions. He said the member states committing to genuine reforms could be granted in return a system for pooling sovereign debt such that they would be able to borrow from the money markets at a lower interest rate. “The Stability and Growth Pact based on fines has showed its limits. We should complement it with a more positive approach in which countries are encouraged to make the necessary reforms,' said Verhofstadt. On Tuesday, the ECOFIN Council paved the way for fines to be levied on Spain and Portugal for failing to respect EU budget rules (EUROPE 11592). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)