Brussels, 17/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Franco-German proposals of 14 January on the EU's institutional architecture continues to arouse reactions, mostly negative, or reserved (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.4 and EUROPE/Documents No. 2311, dated 17 January 2003).
In Strasbourg, the European Constitution Intergroup called on the European Convention to reject the idea of a long-term elected Council President in its debate on institutions on Monday and to "anchor" a future European Foreign Minister as a member of the European Commission. Such a minister must become Commission Vice-President, Elmar Brok (CDU) stressed, also considering that a "permanent cohabitation between the two executives would weaken the EU".
The Intergroup did, however, announce on 17 January, deadline for signing the written declaration calling on the Convention to "adopt the idea" of the European Parliament electing the President of the European Commission (idea taken up in the Franco-German proposal) that an absolute majority of the EP - 320 signature - had voted in favour of such an election. The declaration was drafted by the MEPs Alain Lamassoure, Jo Leinen, Cecilia Malmsrom, Monica Frassoni and Michael Papayannakis. The Intergroup stresses that the declaration "now becomes the European Parliament's official position" and that President Cox would forward this demand to Valery Giscard d'Estaing. No other written declaration has received as many signatures these past few years, the Intergroup stresses. The co-Presidents of the Green Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Monica Frassoni were also very critical of a full-time President of the European Council that would inevitable weaken the Commission, noting that "the proposals of Schroeder and Chirac are only one among many contributions to the debate … and will be discussed in the only legitimate body to do so, which is the Convention". According to them, certain Franco-German proposals do not correspond to the consensus already reached within the European Convention. Thus, if the Council "strengthens its executive role in home and external affairs, the abolition of the pillar structure agreed within the Convention would be but a piece of paper".
The Bavarian Minister for European Affairs, Reinhold Bocklet, on the other hand, finds that the Franco-German proposals go "essentially in the right direction", including the creation of a "permanent" President of the European Council. However, the CSU member placed emphasis on the need clearly to separate competencies, if conflicts are to be avoided in future. He then once again asks the Convention to make proposals on the distribution of competencies. Different tune in Luxembourg, where Foreign Minister Lydie Polfer recalled that, in its memorandum of last December, the Benelux had rejected the idea of a long-standing Council President.