Brussels, 09/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - Addressing the College of Bruges on 8 March, Commissioner Pascal Lamy (trade) made a distinctive appeal for genuine governance to enable Europe's current problems to be rectified. Mr Lamy criticised the fact that just when the EU was gearing up for putting into practice its "biggest geo-political project" with the next phase of enlargement, it was no longer on the same wave length as its citizens. He indicated that the most recent Eurobarometer survey carried out at the end of last year showed that barely 41% of European citizens trusted the EU, which confirmed a downward trend. Just as worrying was the attitude about enlargement, whereas it should be a moment for looking to the future with confidence. He said that enlargement in France, Austria, Belgium and Germany, enlargement was not popular and was supported by less than 50% of those interviewed. Lamy asserted that he did not think that this reflected revenge on the part of a capricious electorate against political leaders or a temporary falling out of love. The Commissioner feared that the situation was "far more serious". In order to right this untenable situation as swiftly as possible, Lamy proposes providing citizens with the feeling that "the Union is being guided and governed better".
According to Lamy, four necessary ingredients are necessary for this new governance:
A strategy. "The horizon needs to be made clear" with an EU of 25, as the reason for Europe is becoming too vague. Firstly they need to put a stop to the "double European deficit": he refers to the deficit in growth and the deficit in competitiveness. The Commissioner explained that citizens expected a community of wealth and that the cake continued to expand. He also said that the EU needed a new Lisbon agenda to be carried out with the same tenacity as that demonstrated with the single market and the euro. Secondly, citizens were waiting for the tangible signs of belonging to Europe. Lamy affirmed that they should therefore return to what had constituted the cement of society: solidarity, which meant real and well paid jobs. This, he explained, would require a new employment policy and investment to reduce the gap between the richest and poorest regions. The Commissioner added that these conditions were essential for a society in construction like Europe's. Without solidarity, the sense of belonging to a community with a future would not be realised, explained Mr Lamy. Next, Mr Lamy explained, was Europe's need to be safe and strong and that the right to move freely within a Union without borders was just a vain hope if they could not guarantee security and justice. To conclude, Lamy explained that Europe had to take more action on the international scene and in this connection two urgent priorities existed: a genuine common development policy (with the insertion of the European Development Fund into the Community budget) and a united presence in the international organisations such as the IMF and World Bank 'without which all action for governance is illusory".
The instruments. Europe has to provide itself with the means for realising its ambitions. Two "major credibility tests" are imminent: financial perspectives and modernisation of the economic governance of the EU (including the Stability Pact).
An organisation. Having defined the objectives and strengthened their means of action, the EU has to revise its organisation. Lamy was of the opinion that the absence of a project over the last ten years had led to successive revisions of the treaties with them subsequently getting lost in the institutional maze. Lamy felt that the institutional debate had for too long been dominated by ideological extremes, with the Euro-sceptics and the federalists whereas either of the two is responding to the actual needs of European citizens". This means that a more sophisticated debate was needed regarding the issue of the democratic deficit and more globally, which focuses on the double axiom of legitimacy and efficacy. He believes that the Commission should be made more accountable for its actions to the Council and the Parliament, for example. The Council has to simplify its decision making procedures and guarantee efficiency. According to Mr Lamy the response is one of "double majority (50/60 and that of course Parliament has to be co-legislator with the Council.
An image. The European political system "is bland, tasteless and without colour" as it is bereft of political life…the machine exists but it has no soul". Therefore, according to Lamy an image embodying Europe is needed. "I propose that to begin with, the first European Council meeting at 25 takes the time to reflect and innovate on the subject which, curiously, it has never discussed. It should dedicate a whole day or an entire session of the Council, as all political bodies should spend the time, in discussing how a clearer, more political and warmer image of Europe could be achieved". Mr Lamy added that the message had to be that of the EU having "real added value" .