Two days before the informal meeting of the 27 Heads of State or Government of the European Union, to be held in Sibiu (Romania) on Thursday 9 May, EUROPE has gathered expectations for this summit of several top candidates (Spitzenkandidaten) of European political parties for the European elections at the end of May.
Christian Democrats. The entourage of the Spitzenkandidat of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, did not make any specific comments.
During the debate between top candidates organised by the European Institute in Florence (see EUROPE 12246/2), the German Christian Democrat reiterated some of the campaign priorities of his political family: the establishment of a European FBI and the anticipation by 2022 of the granting of 10,000 agents to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (formerly Frontex). He also called for a global ban on child labour and single-use plastics. From an institutional point of view, he advocates a new mechanism for the respect of the rule of law in the EU, the reduction of the size of the European civil service and the removal of 1,000 European regulations considered unnecessary.
On Thursday, EPP leaders will meet in Sibiu ahead of the summit. The question of keeping the Fidesz party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán within the European Political Party - it has only been suspended for now - could resurface (see EUROPE 12248/3).
Socialists. Within the Social Democrats, it was the Chairman of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, the German Udo Bullmann, who expressed his expectations. “The summit in Sibiu is a chance for EU leaders to send the much-needed signal of renewal for the European Union”, he said.
“For us Socialists and Democrats it is clear that we cannot go on with business as usual when our planet is under historic threat and children live in poverty while big companies pay almost zero taxes”, he added.
According to him, due to the domination of conservative forces in recent years, the EU has not been able to provide the necessary answers to these challenges, leading to an increase in nationalist and far-right forces. He therefore hopes that European leaders will seize the “the chance to make important steps towards this necessary renewal in Sibiu”.
The Spitzenkandidat of the Party of European Socialists is the current Dutch European Commissioner, Frans Timmermans.
Liberals. The members of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) have not developed a common vision for their expectations of the Sibiu Summit.
Liberal leaders do not plan to meet in ‘pre-summit’ in Sibiu, a source said. But the Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, nevertheless coordinated the prior organisation of a meeting with his liberal counterparts in Romania.
Conservatives. Jan Zahradil, the Spitzenkandidat of the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE) (see EUROPE 12136/11), expressed his scepticism about European integration, which he felt was too strong.
Ahead of the Sibiu summit, the Czech conservative regretted that after many years in his role, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, had “still did not understand that [excessive] European integration which is the main reason for the citizens’ growing resistance towards” European integration. “And it is sad that he intends to continue in this hopeless direction”, he added.
Mr Zahradil said he hoped that the May European elections would put an end to this approach.
Environmentalists. Dutchman Bas Eickhout, co-Spitzenkandidat of the European Green Party (EGP) with Germany's Ska Keller (see EUROPE 12145/3, 12146/13), wants European leaders to agree on a strategic vision for Europe.
Contacted by EUROPE, Mr Eickhout said that he “expects from a summit like that [the Heads of State or Government] will come out with a clear vision on where they feel the Europe needs to deliver”. And this vision must be “backed up with some more concrete proposals”, the ecologist added.
According to him, both the European elections in May and this informal meeting of European leaders should make it possible to establish a programme for the new European Commission.
More concretely, the Dutch MEP identifies three priorities for the future of the EU: climate action, social Europe and democracy.
Thus, he pleads for “higher ambition than we have seen until now” for actions combining climate policy and the economy of the future, especially with regard to innovation and employment. In addition, the EU must, for him, achieve real results in the social protection field, and he calls on EU leaders to ensure that “all the countries within the EU keep the spirit of the rule of law high”.
Finally, noting that States usually reach agreement on major issues only in times of crisis (economy, refugees, Brexit), he hoped that they would be able to take the lead in a period when “things need to change”, but when “there is no immediate threat”.
European Left. Belgian Nico Cué, co-Spitzenkandidat of the Party of the European Left (PEL) with Slovenian Violeta Tomič (see EUROPE 12181/13), also informed EUROPE of their expectations for the future of the EU.
The trade unionist first mentioned the migration issue, advocating for “a humane refugee policy, recognition of the contribution of migration and the fight against racism wherever we find it”.
On the socio-economic side, Mr Cué wanted to go “further than just declarations in favour of social rights, as the current Commission does”. And it is necessary, according to him, to “put an end to austerity and use the European Central Bank's resources, not to save banks, but to strengthen employment, social protection and public services”.
Finally, he wished to deal with climate action and taxation in parallel. “I want rich and big companies to pay their taxes and be used to stop climate change”, he concluded.
On Monday, the representatives of the Twenty-Seven discussed the draft Sibiu Declaration, which will be adopted at the end of the informal summit (see EUROPE 12247/1).
Satisfied with the strategic priorities identified at this stage, the Netherlands wishes to focus in particular on the European Commission's ability to monitor the implementation on the ground of jointly agreed legislation, without necessarily giving it a role as a sanction. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau, Mathieu Bion and the editorial staff)