Strasbourg, 19/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - "Europe is now undergoing a decisive phase in defining the model for its political and economic organisation and asserting its identity on the world stage", which means that it has to "make certain choices" that "will affect the shape of our own plans for the future of the European Union": this is what EU Council President Jaime Gama declared when presenting the programme of the Portuguese Presidency to the European Parliament Wednesday morning. Following on the success of the single market and the launch of the European currency, "we must go further", said the Portuguese Foreign Minister, turning in particular to:
Finally, among the future priorities, Mr. Gama wanted to mention two topics of deep interest to citizens: the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice, and food safety (he said a remedy must be found for the "climate of mistrust which has implications for the internal market and is having negative effects on consumer protection"). In addition, he hoped to find a fair and balanced solution to the problem of the statute of MEPs and their assistants, a matter that "concerns the dignity" of those "working in this institution".
Mr Patten: Commission should create a "small crisis centre"
External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, who spoke of issues coming under his responsibility during the Portuguese Presidency, stressed above all that the EU should, by developing a European security and defence policy, "close the gap" between its economic force and its political weight. He recalled he has proposed that the Commission create a "small crisis centre", mainly to improve aid delivery. He also stated that the Commission envisaged the creation of a Rapid Reaction fund charged with financing prevention and crisis management operations such as the deployment of police forces and the monitoring of elections and respect of human rights, humanitarian aid, support to the media and information campaigns.
Among the priorities for the coming months, Mr Patten mainly cited:
The Balkans. "We are drawing up a new regulation on aid to the region in order to simplify it and speed it up", he said, adding that he will, with Javier Solana, report to the Lisbon Summit on their policy in the Balkans. Furthermore, he stressed the vital role that the Thessalonika Agency should play, first of all for Kosovo, then more generally, as well as the effectiveness of the work accomplished by the Commission Task Force in Pristina.
Speed of EU aid to third countries. He said he was proud of having the reputation of being "obsessed" by this question, and announced that, in the spring, he would put proposals forward on this subject. The current situation is "intolerable, got to change, must change" exclaimed Mr Patten, who said that he is working, at the Commission, with "very good officials" who "must operate with provisions which are lousy".
Russia. The Commission awaits "clear guidance" on the part of Member States.
Human Rights. Mr Patten announced for this half year a communication from the Commission on this subject and, before Easter, another on "rationalisation" of observation and assistance operations for elections (the experience gained in this field is somewhat "mixed", he remarked).
The debate: Mr Pöttering calls on Turkey to improve situation of Kurds. Mr Cox hopes European
Conference will be used as platform for expressing desires of candidates regarding IGC
"Be ambitious, try to enlarge the agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference", launched the EPP Group President, Mr Pöttering, to the Presidency, noting that, in Helsinki, Mr Prodi had supported the position held by Mrs Fontaine concerning this agenda and the EP's position in the IGC. Regarding Turkey, the German Christian Democrat (who received considerable applause on this) said the EU should apply the same criteria as for the other applicant countries: "Thus, as Slovakia and Romania are asked to respect the identity of Hungarian minorities, Turkey must do the same for the Kurds, in the context of its territorial integrity", he said, hoping the Presidency would take initiatives in this connection. Furthermore, Mr Pöttering called on the Presidency not to be "too diplomatic" towards Moscow on the subject of Chechnya, and, regarding the Euro-Mediterranean programme, he affirmed, with reference to a possible invitation to Colonel Kadhafi, that one must not be in too much of a hurry to invite "certain personalities" to Brussels, but to wait, before doing so, for a successful conclusion to a "process" (Ed.: the acceptance of Barcelona acquis by Libya). For the Socialist Group, Mr Seguro stressed the "balanced and ambitious" vision of the Presidency and mainly insisted on the extraordinary summit of Lisbon ("The encoruagement to innovation and loyalty to the European social model are the best tribute that can be paid to Europe's founding fathers at the beginning of the new century", he said). As far as the IGC is concerned, the Portuguese Socialist said the EP had been "deeply disappointed" by the Helsinki Summit and called on the Presidency to raise Member States' awareness of the need to expand the agenda for reform ("We MEPs will have to do the same with the national parliaments", he added).
The Presidency must "keep its foot firmly in the door left ajar in Helsinki" concerning the IGC agenda, exclaimed Liberal Group Chair Mr Cox, highlighting the need to revitalise the European undertaking by giving it "some soul". The Irish MEP also regretted the "them and us" mentality he sees emerging in certain cases in the EU enlargement negotiations and suggested that the European Conference be used as a platform and a "more formal, substantial and public forum" enabling applicant countries to outline their priorities for the IGC. Mr Cox also asked the Presidency to try to conclude the "trans-Atlantic digital dialogue" before the Clinton administration comes to an end, rather than letting it drag on until after the American presidential elections. The agenda of the IGC must not be too narrow, commented Green Co-Chair Mr Lannoye, who finds that at least four items need to be added: - the legal status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights; - enhanced cooperation (an "essential mechanism", he said); - integration of the common foreign and security policy into the Community pillar; - and revision of the "obsolete" Euratom Treaty, with its objectives being reviewed and integrated into the EU Treaty. Concerning the priority to attach to innovation, the Belgian MEP issued a warning, saying competitiveness was sometimes being improved through "questionable" mechanisms such as deteriorating working conditions (observed in a recent report by the Dublin-based foundation) and environmental deterioration (the European Environment Agency noted that in 1999, 11 parameters out of 12 deteriorated or remained unchanged). "In Seattle, we witnessed a vehement reaction by civil society against a world organisation that is not understood" and the EU must not undergo the same process, concluded Mr Lannoye.
On behalf of the United Left Group, Mr Miranda (Portugal) said he would have liked the Presidency to insist on other priorities as well: economic and social cohesion, the fight to lower unemployment, and reduction of the democratic deficit. As for enlargement, "we are not saying no", explained Mr Miranda, who nonetheless called for better analysis of its impact, especially as regards Turkey ("And the problem of the Kurds? And Cyprus?" he asked). "Caution and realism" are the principles that should guide the next IGC, explained Portuguese Member Mr Ribeiro, who spoke on behalf of the Union for the Europe of Nations Group, arguing for real participation in institutional reform by citizens and the national parliaments. Mr Martinez of the National Front said he was awaiting the results of this exercise "anxiously", as he fears excessive zeal in the creation of a European prosecutor's office. Danish Member Mr Bonde, of the Europe of Democracies and Diversities Group, called for the issue of extension of majority voting not to be debated behind closed doors. He argued for appropriate representation of small Member States and the defence of democracy and diversity in the EU.
Most Members taking the floor called for the IGC agenda not to be limited to the Amsterdam "leftovers". Some did so quite openly: Richard Corbett (Labour, UK) said that if a "limited number of essential subjects" were not added to the agenda, the EP could be tempted to issue a negative opinion or even to refuse to state its view on the Conference mandate. The agenda includes the "single most important issue", recognised Mr Corbett, alluding to use of majority voting as the general rule, but he added that this issue had already been debated enough and that there was now a need for agreement. The expected duration of this IGC is long enough, he continued, to make it possible to debate other important subjects. In a more qualified statement, Elmar Brok (Christian Democrat, Germany), who will be one of the EP's observers attending the IGC, said the mandate for the conference "may not go far enough" but experience demonstrates that if a Member State wishes to make a proposal it can hardly be prevented from doing so. He therefore called on the Presidency to interpret the Helsinki mandate broadly. Extension of the agenda of the IGC is a simple question of common sense, said Partido Popular Member Mr Mendez Vigo (rapporteur, with Mr Tsatsos, on the Treaty of Amsterdam), who is convinced that flexible forms of enhanced cooperation must be found to ensure the smooth functioning of the EU. For Mr Dupuis of the Technical Coordination Group, the essential element to be added is the question of "institutional codecision".
Other Members mentioned other concerns. German Social Democrat Mr Sakellariou called on the Presidency to develop proposals for a solution to the Kurdish problem. Mr Goebbels (Socialist, Luxembourg) welcomed the Presidency's emphasis on innovation and growth, insisting on the need for specific efforts aimed at preventing "brain drain" ("Half the European students who do a doctoral degree in the US remain there", he regretted). Mrs Palacio Vallelersundi (Partido Popular) argued for better balance between public and private regulation in the area of the digital revolution and for an effort designed to inspire user confidence by creating a climate favourable to acceptance of controlled risk. Food safety is one of the priorities of the future, said German Social Democrat Ms Roth-Behrendt (who wonders whether the EP will be able to state its view by June, as requested by the Commission), echoed by Dutch Christian Democrat Mr Van Velzen. Food safety, with the best possible use of the Schengen system is the main concern expressed by Mr Pierker (ÖVP, Austria), who is willing to agree to the reintroduction of controls at internal borders, as was recently the case in Belgium, but only as an exceptional measure, with sufficient warning and an indication of the duration of the exception. Still with regards to security, Mrs Cederschiöld (EPP, Sweden) called for greater protection to be guaranteed for victims of violence. "The Presidency of a small country can be a good Presidency", concluded Portuguese Coelho, also MEP. Mrs Kauppi, Finnish MEP of the same group, said she agreed with him, and invited the Portuguese Presidency to take on board the proposals made by the Finnish Presidency on tax harmonisation.
Angola: in favour of demilitarisation of UNITA and financial and institutional reforms
Several MEPs took position on the declaration by the Presidency on the situation in Angola (see EUROPE of 19 January, p.5), and above all Swedish Social Democrat Schori, former Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs for his country, who recalled that this country has lived through civil war for the past twenty years. He invited the Portuguese government not to forget its anti-colonialist tradition and to work towards finding a solution. His Liberal compatriot, Mrs Malström, asked for an end to be put to the massacres and for respect of fundamental freedoms. Belgian Christian Democrat Van Hecke said, for his part, that, despite its responsibility in this conflict, UNITA was not the only trouble-maker in the region.
Answering on behalf of the Presidency, Mr Gama recalled the EU's position, which is to encourage all those who are seeking a political solution in Angola, which involves demilitarisation, an effort for constitutional revision (with the affirmation of values such as pluralism and democracy), an improved financial system with greater transparency in national accounting (negotiations that have just opened with the IMF should, in time, allow the establishment of a follow-up mechanism for the Angolan debt) and the redefining of the place that Angola holds at the United Nations. Mr Gama welcomed, in this context, negotiations under way between the Angolan government and the United Nations Secretary General for the opening, in Angola, of a UN bureau, which would ensure, among other things, the follow-up of humanitarian aid.
Turkey, enlargement, IGC: Portuguese Presidency replies
In response to other questions by MEPs, Mr Gama mainly spoke of: - Turkey. "We shall go into this question more deeply and rigorously", beginning with "screening", the "strategic" aim being to bring this country closer to the EU. In addition, saying he was aware of the "doubts" of certain MEPs on this subject, Mr Gama wished to calm their fears by stressing that a "different policy would be worse for Europe" and could have serious consequences; - the IGC: having recalled that he had written on this subject to the applicant countries, Mr Gama pointed out that the Presidency was willing, if the EP hopes to have a more detailed debate, to come to plenary to discuss the matter; - the non-renewal of the embargo on arms exports to Indonesia: the Council consensus was not to renew this embargo under the present circumstances (Ed.: due to the situation in East Timor), but the EU plans to strictly apply the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports (Mr Gama added that the embargo instrument could be used again if the situation so required).