Munich, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Reinhold Bocklet, European Minister for the German Land of Bavaria, has strongly criticised the plans for the future of Europe presented by the European Commission to the Convention and the European Parliament last week, feeling that the Commission does not seem to be concerned with tackling the necessary changes in the interests of the EU, but wants to ensure and extend its own power. It's almost insulting that the Commission presents itself as the only body personifying the Community interest and defending citizens' interests, he said, feeling that a normal situation would require both the European Parliament and the Council having the right of initiative too. In terms of the Commission's reservations about the catalogue of powers, Bocklet said that it was withdrawing from the debate because it doesn't want to accept that the EU cannot do everything the Commission feels is important. In terms of the Commission's ideas concerning coordinating economic policy in the EU and its own role in this, Bocklet strongly rejects the idea of such a centralized European government, noting that the European Commission's proposals also jeopardise the independence of the European Central Bank. Bocklet conceds that the European Commission is right to call for a greater role for the EU in terms of foreign and security policy, immediately adding that this must not happen through the Commission having the monopoly of initiative since even in the future common foreign and security policy will continue to be developed mainly on the intergovernmental level.
Awarding the Bavarian government's European Medal on 28 May to the CSU MEP Ingo Friedrich, Reinhold Bocklet again stressed the need to maintain balance between the national and regional European levels, noting that as a defender of subsidiarity, Friedrich had always demonstrated where more Europe was needed, and where less was needed.