Brussels, 11/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Thursday, while the Youth Convention was at work in a neighbouring room, the European Convention was beginning a general policy debate on the European foreign and defence policy. The debate will continue on Friday after the presentation of the results of the Youth Convention.
The Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing launched the debate by saying that the EU was a very important actor on the world stage and that European citizens had great expectations about the role the EU should play, expectations shared by the EU's partners. He then handed over to the new Spanish foreign minister Ana Palacio, who said Spain wanted more Europe in terms of foreign and defence policy. This was her first speech as foreign minister and she was congratulated by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. She said the Community Method worked very well for legislation but foreign affairs had nothing legislative about them and should remain in the Executive's power. Like other speakers, Elmar Brok (CDU, Germany) highlighted citizens' expectations wanting a European analysis rather than a juxtaposition of fifteen different analyses. Brok said it was important that Solana and Patten's jobs were combined, and called for a single budget but a shared initiative. Dutch MEP Frans Timmermans admitted that the ideal thing would be to merge the three pillars into one and to fully "communitarise" foreign policy but said that wouldn't be possible and therefore suggested reversing subsidiarity to define areas where decision can be taken by qualified majority voting or on the initiative of the Commission. Like Brok, he called for a merger of the roles of the External Relations Commissioner and the High Representative for EFSP. Commissioner Michel Barnier mentioned the paradox of the European Union whose role is difficult to make out although it is party to more than 1000 bilateral, multilateral and international treaties. He said they should start with what works - trade -going on to say that as far as trade was concerned, the EU had acquired the status of superpower without becoming a superstate, because the Commission was the guarantor of the general interest and thanks to good collaboration between the institutions. Antonio Tajani (Forza Italia) called for foreign policy based on better cooperation between Commission and Council, subject to the European Parliament's control. Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD, Denmark) came out against the creation of a European superpower since all great powers had been involved in war. Belgian foreign minister Louis Michel hailed the "modulated" approach that EU could have though the large range of instruments at its disposal, saying the formula of a High Representative had proved its effectiveness and had to be strengthened with the right of initiative and closer cooperation, or even a rapprochement, with the Commission. Oliver Duhamel (French Socialist) called on the Praesidium to enter a democratic debate and give their opinions. Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing replied that the Praesidium's job for the moment was to allow debate to take place not to make proposals. Asked by Olivier Duhamel about the object he had on the table in front of him during the plenary, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing said it was a Chinese tortoise, symbolising a long life and slowly but surely meeting one's objectives. Discussion then dallied on the subject raised by the British European minister, Peter Hain, who had called for the High Representative to given the right of initiative, a greater say on budget issues and involvement in Commission meetings on foreign policy. British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff asked him to clarify his position and the EP's role. Peter Hain said the EP had a role play in the EFDP budget and if it involved, for example, sending a police force to the Balkans, it could be consulted, but sending in armies and diplomatic issue were intergovernmental questions. He couldn't see in practice how the foreign policy could be "communitarised". The Community Method cannot be reduced to the Commission's work, but also covers the intelligent working of the three institutions, said Commissioner Barnier. The Communication published by the European Commission on 22 May 2002 proposed ways and means for pragmatic use of the Community Method, he said, adding that the Commission had taken the risk of being right too soon, 10 or 15 years too soon. Speaking a little later, the German government representative Peter Glotz said that the German government wanted "communitarisation" of foreign policy in the long-run, but meanwhile he thought a compromise was possible based on the High Representative wearing two hats, one as Commissioner with a mandate from the Council and one supported by the formation of a more up-front European diplomatic corps.