Brussels, 28/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - Council President Dick Roche, who, on Wednesday before the EP plenary, took stock of Monday's informal meeting between Foreign Ministers on the prospects for reactivating the Intergovernmental Conference, confirmed that the discussion had been "positive" and had shown there was "very considerable common ground". The Irish Foreign Minister explained the Irish Presidency's approach once more. He said that, before presenting its report to the European Council in March, it would seek to "build a complete picture" of how everyone feels to "fully understand" the positions and to become familiar with all the little differences. "We are working night and day" to find a solution he said, warning, however, that they cannot "compel" an agreement.
Michel Barnier calls for general mobilisation
European Commissioner Michel Barnier spoke more of an "emergency mission". Citing the saying that "one should not put off till tomorrow what can be done today", he said it seems the Presidency has chosen to put things off, for example the Brussels Summit, whereas the European Commission does not want to resign itself to putting things off "for ever" (French sovereignist William Abitbol intervened sharply saying the debate is more "between something and nothing"). According to Mr Barnier, "a kind of general mobilisation of public opinion" is needed, safeguarding the European spirit built up in eighteen months of European Convention. Agreement will be more difficult in November 2004 than in April 2004, the Commissioner warned, mainly insisting on the need for a "general agreement" in which each and everyone can appreciate the balance struck on the basis of a "text familiar to all" (reference to the 82 points on which Silvio Berlusconi had announced agreement, several MEPs asking yet again what these points were). The Commission considers the "only achievement that must be taken into account is the Convention's draft" (that must be improved on several points such as the Commission composition, enlargement of the scope of qualified majority or making Convention review procedures more flexible).
Antonio Vitorino: integrating Naples defence agreement into Treaty
European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino confirmed that the point of departure must be the Convention draft as the document of Naples (that resulted from the informal IGC on 28 and 29 November) has clarified certain aspects and set forth positive trends on a number of points. This text, however, and the results of some bilateral negotiations have shown ground lost on key themes such as the scope of qualified majority, and "in no way deserves our support". What does merit support, he added, are the Naples results on defence, and, if an agreement could be reached in Naples on such a tricky issue, then one should be able to agree on integrating these results into the Constitution and adopting the Constitution.
Giorgio Napolitano: agreement is necessary for 1 May - Draft Constitution the only text on the table
Giorgio Napolitano (Democratici di sinistra), Chair of the constitutional committee, also said that, for them, there was only the draft Convention on the table as, in the 82 points mentioned by the Italian Presidency, there are "many elements of confusion and ambiguity, and a lot of backpedalling". The resolution that the plenary is to vote on Thursday calls for a solution to be found for 1 May, he explained, because one would then enter the electoral campaign, and it is necessary to encourage voters to go to the urns and submit "our fundamental law, as our democratic duty requires" to their judgement.
The Italian co-president of the Greens/EFA group, Monica Frassoni noted for her part that there was ambiguity in this debate. She said they are optimistic and "full of hope" and encourage the Presidency "but on what?" she asked. Do the 82 points considered as acquired by the Italian Presidency exist or not?, she insisted. She deplored the fact that MEPs have given up taking parliamentary initiatives that "could upset the Presidency". In her view, "there must be a parliamentary initiative in grand stile to accompany the Presidency and not leave it alone with its colleagues".
Spanish Socialist Carlos Carnero Gonzalez exclaimed on the subject of the points whereon Silvio Berlusconi states there is agreement, that they wish to work on the Convention's text, not on "unknown and incomprehensible compromises". Most MEPs, like Mr Gonzalez, insisted on how urgent the matter was. Such was the case of Elmar Brok (CDU), one of the EP representatives at the IGC, who, on the issue of Council majority, felt that, with a "little imagination", it would be possible to break the deadlock. The solution found must be more effective than that found in Nice, but one should not cling to every inch of any one formula. The other EP representative at the Intergovernmental Conference, Klaus Hänsch (SPD), retorted: "Elmar, in addition to effectiveness, there must be democratic legitimacy". Once more, Mr Hänsch rejected the two-speed Europe or "centres of gravity". This cannot replace the Constitution and one runs the risk of bringing about a "bitter Europe", he said. Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the EPP-ED group, very much agreed. In his view, those who want a "core" in Europe want in fact a return to what is intergovernmental. Furthermore, the CDU member criticised (but did not name) the eurosceptics in Parliament. He expressed surprise saying: those who criticise the Constitution as a symbol of centralisation are the same who complain of European red tape, whereas a Constitution precisely allows democracy and "parliamentarism" to develop. The president of the Socialist Group, Enrique Baron, sought to encourage the Irish Presidency by reminding it (as it likes poetry, he commented) that the poet, Antonio Machado, said the "road is covered in walking". The Presidency has opened up the road but it is necessary for some countries with a hand on the "handbrake" to stop braking, the Spanish Socialist insisted. British Liberal Andrew Duff also feels that we are "emerging from the fiasco" but deplores the fact that the "undfortunate obsession with great patriotic questions" such as Council majority makes one forget enlarging voting scope to majority voting . He complained that the Italian Presidency, largely under pressure from Tony Blair, has gone backward compared to the Convention proposals. Finnish Esko Olavi Seppänen spoke in quite a different tone and, speaking for the GUE/NGL, expressed indignation about Europe's "militarisation" entailed by the Constitution. It is said that we want to prevent conflicts, he exclaimed, but "we are preparing to attack". Noting that the resolve of citizens does not necessarily correspond to that of political decision-makers, he called for referendums to be held on the Constitution everywhere in Europe. Speaking for the UEN, Gerard Collins from Ireland backed Approach of the Irish presidency, while insisting that: some countries really do act, if not there will be no progress. William Abitbol (EDD) mentioned the "stupefying reasons" recently mentioned in the ideas attributed to the Polish prime minister appealing in favour of a rapid agreement on the constitution ("an agreement in six months would definitely be useless"). Georges Berthu, a French sovereignist as well said, without quoting the declaration of Pierre Lequiller, president of the delegation of the National Assembly for the European Union and former Convention Member, who recently admitted that "from a national point of view France should stick with the status quo (Nice system for voting at the Council) than Spain or Poland. Jo Leinen (SPD) and Thierry Cornillet (UDF) pointed out that they had talked about "deepening" for years before enlargement but what is it, was the question asked. Belgian MEP for Lista Bonino, Olivier Dupuis attacked the "vile and ignoble Europe" which had done nothing for Chechnya (for which he had begun a hunger strike) and requested that "with help from Commissioner Vitorino, the EU adopts a white list" of Chechen figures they are prepared to invite to work for a peaceful solution (EUEOPE 27 January p 7). Carlo Fatuzzo (EPP, Italy) introduced a comical note, "time is running short, pensioners don't have time to wait for the constitution, they're 80, 90, 100 years old etc. At least they could like Silvio Berlusconi, who appears to have got ten years younger, thanks to plastic surgery".