Brussels, 08/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Party of European Socialists is "making another attempt before Christmas" to clarify a number of key questions raised in its preliminary document on party priorities for the Future of Europe, presented last week in Brussels by Giuliano Amato (see EUROPE 4 October p 6) for comments by French Socialist, Pervenche Berès and 5 October p 7). This is the verdict of German Social Democrat Jo Leinen MEP for whom, "the seminar at the end of August in Birmingham was obviously not enough for the PES to respond to crucial questions on the European Constitution", which the European Convention will have to adopt.
Mr Leinen acknowledges that the PES document contains a certain number of positive points but asserts that "on other issues, the Amato document remains either quite vague or goes in the wrong direction". He particularly regrets that the document does not focus on, "the strengthening of the social dimension in the EU in objectives such as competencies"; the election of the President of the European Commission on the basis of European election results; the adoption of majority voting at the Council (Mr Leinen is afraid that the reference to "vital issues for national sovereignty" will bring about paralysis in a Europe of 25). Among the main weaknesses in the paper quoted by Mr Leinen are the sections on CFSP, which according to Mr Leinen flatter the Council too much, as a future "European Foreign Affairs Minister" should be a Commission Vice President even though he s/he will have to report back to the Council in certain fields, such as military and defence policy.