The speed with which the European Council approved its conclusions on Friday morning (published in our special Sunday Bulletin) may be assessed in either a negative sense, by noting that the Heads of Government did not really discuss them (President Berlusconi announced with satisfaction that the debate only last half an hour), or positively, noting that both the initiative for growth and the programme for the control of illegal immigration are now unanimously supported by the member states, and that the Community institutions are asked to implement them immediately.
Principals of industrial policy. The half-hour debate enabled the Franco-German couple (represented by Jacques Chirac) to add a section to paragraph 15 ('The European Council invites the Commission to present it, during its December meeting, with a report containing proposals aimed at improving the industrial framework in view of avoiding deindustrialisation'), and Italy not to insist over certain sections concerning pensions. Sections that had already been seen as excessively detailed during the preparatory works. Industrial policy is the subject of a specific paragraph (18), which presents two principals: legislation must not chain the EU's competitiveness, and sector-based projects must be accompanied by detailed impact assessments (with explicit reference to chemical products which cause great division). As for pensions, the aim of increasing, by roughly five years, the average age for the cessation of work is confirmed.
The sections relating to industry, and even the title of paragraph 18 'industrial policy' (title which would not have been accepted a few years ago), represents the conclusion of a lengthy debate, born from an initiative from Chancellor Schröder, supported after a few disagreements by the Commission President Romano Prodi, subsequently becoming Franco-German and then also shared by Tony Blair. A general agreement now exists within the European Council over the concept. From a terminological and semantic point of view the battle is won, the text specifically places emphasis on the 'manufacturing sector.' The concept remains to be concretised, which means the core work remains to be done.
The time of networks. The initiative for growth received support from the Summit. We can smile over the quarrels concerning priorities between the Commission, the Italian government ('we launched the project and thank the Commission for its support,' phrase signed by Tremonti) and a few other protagonists. Thoguh the initative is finally agreed, with its obvious limits, but also with its potentials, after correction of the imbalances that form an excessive part of the transport infrastructure in comparison to innovation and research. Philippe Maystad, EIB (European Investment Bank) President, which will provide most of the finance of European origin, added that this in no way concerns a 'Keynesian' operation (to irrigate the economy with state money to lift demand). It concerns investments likely to improve the functioning of the large market and the competitiveness of the European economy. Thus the concerns of certain Finance Ministers should be soothed, as well as the concerns over respecting the Stability Pact (see this section 14 October). The way in which the specific programme on trans-European networks is inserted both in the general economic framework, including the social and environmental dimensions, and within the 'Lisbon strategy' is positive. Even the proposal from the Commission to increase the rate of subsidy by the Community budget is, I do not state my approval, taken into consideration in paragraph 8 (we will closely study the possibility of applying a high rate of Community co-financing, for example in specific cases distinguishing themselves through their cross-border nature or by the overcoming of natural barriers). The timetable imposed for the first decision is very tight: the Ecofin Council will receive, before 25 November, final reports from the Commission and EIB and will also be responsible for the removal of technical, legal and administrative barriers against the completion of the networks. The Summit in mid-December will rule over the rapid start-up of the programme for the twelve initial projects to be immediately launched.
The programme concerning the management of shared borders and on the control of migratory flows indicates a strong common desire to act concretely (but without immigration quotas, rejected by France and Germany), and the five most populous countries seem agreed to move forward regardless.
Among the Summit's other conclusions, general in nature, we should underline paragraph 40 on the WTO asserting: in terms of trade policy, the EU remains attached to the multilateral approach. It is necessary to understand that through this statement the European Council has already answered one of Pascal Lamy's four questions (see this section of 7 October) concerning the future European policy in this domain?
(FR)