Brussels, 27/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - For the first time, the EU's three institutions have committed themselves to "detailed dialogue" on the European Commission's political priorities and legislative programme, explained the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, tot he European Parliament in plenary session on Wednesday afternoon, outlining his priorities - enlargement, stability and security and solidarity in a strong economy. He also raised the question of the necessary human and financial resources flowing from these priorities and the additional commitment for the institutions of the Convention on the future of Europe that begins on Thursday.
The Convention was certainly not in everyone's minds, since it was the fruit of a common Parliament-Commission effort and they can be proud of it, said Mr Prodi, noting that for the first time, the majority of elected representatives (not government delegates) were examining the future of Europe together. They are extremely high level representatives and nobody should harbour any illusions about being able to rule the autonomous Convention, asserted Mr Prodi, and nobody would be able to ignore its work. Civil society will also be following its work so one cannot say it is diplomatic and bureaucratic negotiations with citizens left in the dark, commented the President, adding that the desire for a Convention was born in the morning after the night of Nice, not by chance but as the recognition of the failure of a method. Mr Prodi said the Commission would be present through two Commissioners (Michel Barnier and Antonio Vitorino) and restated his own direct, person commitment. Before moving on to consider the institutional architecture, he said it was necessary to consider a common project for society and discuss the type of society one wanted to live in since the European Union was the only attempt at democratic globalisation.
Regarding the political priorities for 2003, Mr Prodi spoke of: (1) Enlargement, noting that 2003 will be a "watershed year" because it will be necessary to prepare for hosting new Member States "on 1 January 2004". This means that it will be necessary to not only help candidate countries prepare to "fully" assume their responsibilities as Member States, but also ensure that the Commission, too, fulfils all its obligations and "raises the question of the common policies needed in an enlarged Union". (2) Stability and security throughout Europe, which requires that the EU fight against every kind of crime, "including terrorism" (and above all terrorism), that it tackle the problem of immigration and its "complex effects", and that it strengthen its partnership with neighbouring countries. Here, Mr Prodi mainly spoke of strengthening the Barcelona Process and initiatives towards Mediterranean third countries (see p.6 for the article on the subject of the Euro-Mediterranean bank), the association and stabilisation process with the Balkan States, the continued peace efforts in the Middle East (where the latest events allow a "glimmer of hope", and the contribution to reconstruction of Afghanistan. (3) A "sustainable and integrated economy". Mr Prodi foresees "recovery in a not too distant future", probably during the second half of the year, but which depends on implementation of the Lisbon strategy, including its "external dimension", namely the EU's contribution to the "government of globalisation". In concrete terms, Mr Prodi mainly cited the Doha Process, North-South solidarity, and especially with Africa, and from this the Monterrey Summit (the situation is "certainly not one of the best").
Mr Prodi drew the consequences of these priorities for the Commission's financial and human resources, pounding out: "this Commission has never and will never take on commitments if it does not have the resources necessary". Which is why he recognises that "we cannot prepare for enlargement without taking on any additional staff" (if only because the number of languages "will double"). The Commission should ensure that the "acquis" is applied from the very first day of the new memberships, and, said Mr Prodi, he would therefore call for 500 non-permanent agents to prepare for enlargement. He insisted it was therefore essential to be able to use the flexibility instrument. He emphasised that budgetary discipline is not being forgotten but that "structural solutions must be found for chronic insufficiencies" under Heading 4 (external actions). He stressed that the events of 11 September have once again proven that the Union needs "specific mechanisms" to rapidly avail itself of the means to allow it to make its voice heard in the world.
MEPs raise question of how the Mediterranean Bank will work
President Prodi answered parliamentary questions on: - the possibility of observers from the candidate countries being present at the Commission, before accession, as the European Parliament recommends. In response to the president of the EPP-ED Group, Hans-Gert Pöttering, Mr Prodi affirmed: "it is something that should be done, though technically not easy (…) but we must do it now if we want to establish relations of instruction and apprenticeship with these countries". The latter do not yet know who their Commissioners will be, but the Commission must adopt an open and constructive attitude to this question, said Mr Prodi. - the Euro-Mediterranean Bank. Some have reservation about the creation of a new bureaucracy (Mr Pöttering), while others (German Social Democrat Christa Randzio-Plath) wonder what one would do if Israel, for example, were to request this bank's financial aid. Mr Prodi explained: a fund, a "facility", would not have had the same "educational" function for the southern Mediterranean countries, which would have been content to have a structure in which they would have access to shares and sit on the administrative board. But the decision to give a majority holding to the EIB is precisely because of the concern not to create a heavy, unwieldy bureaucracy, he added. - market laws and social justice. PDS member Hans Modrow stressed that, in all countries, social disparities are increasing, and that reflection is needed to resolve this. Enlargement is a true example of solidarity, replied Mr Prodi, who notes that countries characterised by economic disparity from 1 to 4 will join together, and that the new members will each year receive resource transfers equivalent to 4% of their annual national income, a very handsome amount. - transparency. Swedish Liberal Cecilia Malstrom is right in insisting on this point, said Mr Prodi, noting that the Convention will bring improvements, but that customs have already changed.