As the representative of the main European political party in recent years in the EU, the Spitzenkandidat of the European People's Party (EPP), Germany's Manfred Weber, was the main target of attacks by other candidates for the presidency of the European Commission on Wednesday 15 May during an election debate in the European Parliament.
On economic issues, Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans accused Weber of defending austerity economic policies during the financial crisis. The representative of the radical left, the Belgian Nico Cué, denounced the action of the President of Parliament, Antonio Tajani, himself Vice-President of the EPP, who agreed with Mittal to close the blast furnaces in Liège and import cheap steel into the EU. On tax issues, German environmentalist Ska Keller criticised Christian Democrats, but also Liberals and Conservatives, for their refusal to impose more tax transparency on companies. “Why did your group in the European Parliament vote against reforming the ETS CO2 emissions trading system”, she asked Mr Weber.
Calling the EPP a “dinosaur’ on climate and environmental issues, Mr Timmermans proposed to Mr Cué and Mrs Keller, as well as some Liberals, “an alliance from Mr Tsipras to Mr Macron” to tax kerosene and introduce a CO2 tax whose revenues would finance energy efficiency in housing. A proposal that remained unanswered on Wednesday evening.
In his defence, Mr Weber has repeatedly argued the ability of his political family to act in a “responsible” manner. “We agree to be ambitious on the climate issue”, he noted, advocating carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050. The problem is: how do we get there? The Bavarian believes in “innovation, not sanctions”. In his view, it is necessary both to be ambitious in the EU and to convince people of the urgency of acting at the international level. But the interests of “industrial workers” must also be reconciled. “Trade unions tell me that implementing the environmental agenda is the end of European industry”, Weber said.
On economic issues, Mr Weber asked Mr Timmermans to take on his share of responsibility for policies led and steered by members of his political family, Mr Moscovici for the Commission and Mr Dijsselbloem and then Mr Centeno for the Eurogroup.
During the debate, the traditional left/right and integrationist/sovereignty divisions reappeared.
On the migration challenge, the Czech conservative Jan Zahradil took issue with the “mandatory quotas” for receiving refugees that have widened the gap between Member States. He advocated respect for the right of States to choose whom they wish to receive, or not, on their soil. In favour of a “European solution” in this field, Mr Weber first mentioned the need to regain border control while mentioning the “responsibility” of Europeans in humanitarian terms. On behalf of the Liberals, the Danish Margrethe Vestager, as well as Mr Cué and Mrs Keller, highlighted the importance of solidarity. Denouncing the “fines” imposed by the Italian government on those who save migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, Mr Timmermans warned: without solidarity, “sooner or later, the borders will return” to the Union.
To help young people to better integrate into working life, the candidates made some concrete proposals. On the right, the focus has been on innovation and investment to create jobs. On the left, Mr Timmermans and Mr Cué called for the introduction of a minimum wage above the poverty level in all Member States. Mrs Keller wants to make the Youth Guarantee “mandatory”. In the centre, Mrs Vestager preferred to mention the need to guarantee, together with the social partners, “decent living conditions” for young people, a concept that would not necessarily imply a minimum wage.
What tax policy should be pursued at the European level? In response to this question, Mrs Vestager, Mr Weber and Mrs Keller advocated the introduction of a tax for digital giants. Mr Weber went further by calling for an end to unanimity in the Council of the EU on tax issues and Mrs Keller on transparency issues. For Mr Timmermans, taxing companies “at a minimum level of 18%” is a matter of social justice. As for Mr Cué, he advocated the “offensive” against tax evasion and fraud, which he said was responsible for creating areas in Europe without public services, before pleading for better protection for whistleblowers. On the other hand, Mr Zahradil refused any pan-European tax that violated the legitimacy of states to raise taxes.
On trade relations between the EU and its international partners, Mrs Keller and Mr Cué were cautious. “Trade can play an important role, but it can be a means to an end, not an end in itself”, the first said, regretting that free trade agreements do not contain a reference to the Paris Agreement or provide for sanctions in the event of human rights violations. The second called for more transparency in trade negotiations, making it a matter of “democracy”. On this point, Mr Timmermans welcomed Wallonia's action, which has recently led to European case law on the compatibility of investor-State dispute settlement with EU law (see EUROPE 12245/3).
In contrast, Mr Zahradil called for more free trade agreements with the United States and Asia, with trade being “the main engine of economic growth”. And for Mrs Vestager, the EU must have more self-confidence and be a little tougher with its partners to fight unfair competition.
What role should Europe play in the world? For Ms Keller, more coherence is needed. The EU is a force for “peace and human rights”, while Member States “send weapons to dictators”, she criticised. For Mr Timmermans, the EU must be “united and firm” in defending its values against the American and Russian presidents. “Otherwise, they will define the future”, he warned. In the same vein, Mr Weber also called for a transition to qualified majority voting in the Council of the EU in the field of foreign affairs. Mr Zahradil strongly opposed it.
Finally, the Spitzenkandidats urged Europeans to vote at the end of May, in particular to defend the values on which the EU is based. Mr Weber urged citizens to defend Europe against rising “selfishness and nationalism”. Mrs Keller criticised the fact that at national level, as in Austria and Estonia, EPP member parties collaborate with extremist forces. With austerity policies, it is not surprising that people in distress take refuge in nationalism, Mr Cué said. He added, “Either we choose the law of the market or we choose the people”. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion and Camille-Cerise Gessant)