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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8777
Contents Publication in full By article 27 / 32
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) ep/lisbon strategy

Joachim Wuermeling warns against "centralisation trap"

Brussels, 02/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - CSU MEP Joachim Wuermeling, who states that "the Lisbon agenda is suddenly right at the top of the European agenda" (as it is to be one of the priorities of Commission President José Manuel Barroso: Ed), wonders "what role Europe will really be able to play to strengthen European competitiveness?". He adds: will the new Commissions even "bring pressure to bear on the Member States, as Mr Verheugen has stated? If Brussels interferes in national reform policies, we run the risk of a fresh wave of centralisation". The Bavarian MEP, a vociferous proponent of subsidiarity, stresses: "every Member State must do its duty autonomously, because Ireland's problems are not the same as Slovenia's or Greece's". Mr Wuermeling issues the following warning: "let us not fall into a Lisbon centralisation trap. In such a diverse continent, uniform solutions are not, at the end of the day, solutions. Before launching a new wave of activities, we must first clarify responsibilities".

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