Strasbourg, 24/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - It was largely a question of "climate" and cleavages between "large" and "small" countries in the debate by the European Parliament, this Tuesday, on the informal European Council in Biarritz. This summit, asserted the Council President, Pierre Moscovici, enabled to "truly enter into negotiation" over two especially difficult points: the weighting of votes in the Council and the formation of the European Commission. The Parliament will vote a resolution on the summit this Wednesday.
Over the cleavage between the large and small Member States, Mr Moscovici recognised that "strong difficulties presented themselves" in Biarritz, while underlining that the Presidency's concern had been to have "an open debate", and to finish "without the same cleavages". The desire to overcome these cleavages "is part of the spirit of Biarritz", asserted Pierre Moscovici. The IGC preparatory group will fully play its part until 19 November, date of the next ministerial meeting, and that "in total we will have six working sessions at ministerial level before Nice, of which four in the restrained format". Also adding: "We intend to fully take advantage of the all the occasions for the spirit of Biarritz to remain active!". The French Presidency would like to reach a compromise that is "supported by all", assured Mr Moscovici; to this end, he will undertake a tour of the countries that oppose a ceiling in the European Commission, starting, on Monday, with Belgium. According to him, this week's talks within the IGC preparatory group (see following pages) showed that an "idea is progressing": in Nice, we will opt for the "one Commissioner per State" formula, but, then a "differentiated" ceiling of the Commission could be considered. As for the weighting of votes in the Council, a "small majority" was confirmed in Biarritz in favour of a simple weighting, felt Mr Moscovici.
Furthermore "tangible progress" has been achieved at the summit over qualified majority. The Council President outlined a "pretty wide agreement over more than half of the Articles" and solutions that start to appear over the more sensitive points, namely the fiscal domain ("partial advances could be found thanks to the technical changes that the Presidency is seeking with the help of the Commission"). One clear overture exists over cooperation in terms of the fight against tax fraud, in the social field (they should be able to move forward "on condition of not touching the principals that found the various national social security systems"). For external trade policy (progress will be possible if "we find the way of reserving a special treatment for the most sensitive issues", notably those affecting cultural identity, and if "we foresee a diverted extension of Community competence"), for Justice and Home affairs (the solution "should be easy to find for civil judicial cooperation", while the issues concerning asylum, visas and immigration remain more delicate).
With regard to reinforced cooperation all the Member States presently admit the need to soften the methods for starting it, while preserving the Community acquis and the institutional framework, and while looking for "adapted provision" for foreign, security and defence policy.
As for the Charter of fundamental rights, on which the summit "unanimously congratulated" itself, Mr Moscovici, who was heavily questioned by MEPs over the issue, repeated that most of the Member States are not prepared to integrated it into the Treaty, and that the question will only "be asked afterwards" (see below).
Furthermore, Mr Moscovici raised the position taken in Biarritz over: - the Middle east crisis, by noting in particular the EU's aim to contribute towards the search for the spirit of the Oslo agreement (while underlining the presence of Javier Solana at the Sharm El Sheikh summit, he said: "I am not part of those who think that the role of Europe in the Middle East is weakened"); - over the return of democracy in Serbia, while recalling in particular that President Kostunica has been invited to the EU/Western Balkans summit on 24 November in Zagreb.
For Mr Barnier success of IGC is measured in ability to preserve and consolidate "Community model"
In Biarritz the climate was "invigorating", "rather dynamic", said European Commissioner Michel Barnier, who, rather than talking of a "cleavage" between large and small, preferred talking of "the moment of truth".
This is not the only division in negotiation. As Mr Barnier sees it, the success or failure of the Nice summit will not be measured "on that" but "on our capacity to safeguard and consolidate the Community model". This means: a) extending qualified majority "to real subjects" (with, in parallel, extension of codecision); b) resisting the temptation of limiting the Commission's right of own initiative; c) reserving the place which seems right for the Commission in enhanced cooperation (not only in the first pillar); and d) avoiding the development of "agencies" to the detriment of the European Commission's "regulatory authority". The Commission is not a "spectator" at the IGC Preparatory Group, recalled Mr Banier (who is part of the group). He gave his assurance that the Commission will continue, to the very end, to set itself a very high standard of ambition for the Treaty of Nice. He mainly evoked Article 7. In his opinion, "on the basis of the Commission's proposal", an agreement is "very close" on the modalities for "Community dialogue" on the risks of violation of the EU's fundamental principles, which means the "political and Community control of a crisis situation".
Several MEPs do not understand the attitude of States on integrating the Charter into the Treaty -
Divergence between "large" and "small" countries reflected in debate
During the debate, President of the EPP Group Mr Pöttering described as "cynical" the attitude of those who say the small Member States are running the risk, with their views on the composition of the Commission, of holding up the enlargement process. The small countries are not at the large countries' orders, exclaimed the CDU member, noting that those who insist on a strong and effective Commission are the same as those who suggest setting up "secretariats" … When Chancellor Schröder says he is ready to accept an egalitarian rotation at the Commission, "it looks very generous" but, in reality, it is not possible for the largest Member State not to have a Commissioner, said Mr Pöttering.
Mr Baron, President of the Socialist Group, regretted that Mr Moscovici had not spoken of codecision in connection with extension of qualified majority. The Council President replied that "there is no problem on this subject", and criticised the groups which (like that of the EPP, he said) want to prevent the Parliament from adopting its report on the breakdown of seats within the European Parliament in an enlarged Europe ("I do not have the impression that we have given up the hope of adopting this report", replied Partido Popular member, Mr Mendes de Vigo). Mr Baron also wondered what the Fifteen plan to do with the Charter of Fundamental Rights: put it in a drawer? He went on to ask Mr Pöttering how he can accept the fact that some members of his group had voted against the Charter at the Italian House of Representatives. "We must defend the Charter here and in the national parliaments", he exclaimed (in response, Mr Tajani said: "You are misinformed. Forza Italia has never been against the Charter. We approved it at the Convention and we shall do so at the European Parliament in November, but, as an opposition force, we have the right to vote in our Parliament on a resolution that is different to that of the government). Mr Baron also spoke of relations with Serbia, stressing it is necessary to help the country but also that the EU cannot call on Croatia to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in The Hague and not ask Belgrade to do the same.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights will no doubt become "the greatest prize trophy" in Nice, said British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff, who does not understand why the French Presidency plans to refer the matter of Charter integration to the Swedish Presidency. He exclaimed "What on earth is Sweden supposed to achieve?" Ms Maes, speaking on behalf of the Greens, also said she was in favour of the constitutionalisation process and for greater citizen and regional involvement in the process of European construction. We want generalised codecision, in CAP also, she recalled. Ms Ainardi, speaking for the United Left, insisted on the need to maintain a balance between institutions and between Member States, and to avoid the marginalisation of the small states. She hoped that the Charter of Fundamental Rights would be "evolutive" and improved, mainly in its articles on social issues. The French Communist therefore urged for major consultation to be initiated, mainly with the national parliaments, in order to reach a Charter that lives up to citizens' expectations (but Mr Moscovici felt it would be "very difficult, if not dangerous, to reopen the package", because there is the risk of "sliding backwards"). The aim of the Charter is to remove from national democracies the ability of defining for themselves what the rights and duties of their citizens are, said Mr Berthu, from the group for a Union of a Europe of Nations, who, moreover, warned against the "ultrafederalist" supporters, he said, of a "hard core", who were apparently encouraged by the Danish "no" in the referendum on the euro. If they continue along this road, not only will they cut Europe in two but they will also cut themselves still more from their own population, he said. Mr Dupuis, on the Lista Bonino, reproached the IGC for not tackling the real problem, that of "keeping major balances" and strengthening the position of the European Commission, which must become a "genuine supra-national" body, with an elected president, and, why not, a vice-president responsible for foreign affairs. Mr. Bonde, of the Europe of Democracies and Diversities, for his part fears that Europe is busy moving towards a situation where Member States "no longer have any say", with "more Brussels, more centralisation, and less individuality". The large Member States are trying to bully the small ones, exclaimed Mr. Collins (Irish, Union for a Europe of Nations), adding: to ratify the review of the Treaty, countries like Ireland, Portugal and Denmark must organise referenda, and it will certainly be difficult for them to secure majorities if the new Treaty "dilutes State representation". The Swedes, Ms. Schorling (Green Group) and Sjostedt (United Left) and Finland's Mr. Suominen (EPP) also spoke out against any "hard core", and Dutch Christian-Democrat Ms. Maij-Weggen placed emphasis on extending co-decision. Finally, the French Socialist, Ms. Beres said that the Nice Summit had to make a reference to the Charter of Fundamental Rights in Article 6 of the Treaty so as to avoid the discrepancy, pointed out by Mendez de Vigo too, that would exist if that Article only referred the European Convention on Human rights (to which the EU as such does not adhere). Pervenche Beres also considered that citizens would not understand why Heads of State and Government should refuse to apply qualified majority voting to anti-discrimination articles, and, regarding the "obsession" of the "large/small" debate, according to her, "a large country that wants its rightful weight to be heard, if it cannot do so here, will go elsewhere..".