Brussels, 21/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Spring Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday will take place in “politically sensitive circumstances”, ahead of the referendums on the European Constitution and national or regional elections, José Manuel Barroso told the press on Monday. At the same time, welcoming Sunday's agreement on the Stability Pact, the President of the European Commission said: “this proves that the Europe of 25 is working” (see below). We now have a “rejuvenated Pact with greater credibility, based on economic logic”, a “Pact which is a friend to the Lisbon Strategy”, as it will help more than previously towards its objectives, he said, finding it remarkable that the Pact had been successfully reformed six months after the Commission made its proposals, which were “broadly taken up” by the Council. The Commission's responsibilities are even greater as a result of this, as it will be called upon to bring “a more than previously complex economic judgement” to excessive deficit situations, he said. When asked whether Germany, having got its way over several points of the Pact, would be able to give up its demand (with five other countries) to limit the EU's expenditure to 1% of EU GDP for 2007-2012, he said “I hope so (…). This sum is not realistic” (see also p.15).
If the Spring Summit reaches positive conclusions, it will create “an additional duty”, that of agreement from the European Council in June on the subject of the financial perspectives for 2007-2013, he repeated.
Mr Barroso was confident the summit would support his proposals for revitalisation of the Lisbon agenda, whether it be a matter of investing more in research and development, reforming the State aid system in order to encourage innovation (the Commission will make a proposal in April, he confirmed), or national plans for implementing the strategy (Member States “agree, I think”, he said).
Answering questions on the discussion in France on the subject of the Services Directive (see pages 7, 14 and 15), Mr Barroso recalled that: on 2 February, before this “dramatisation” of the French debate, he had announced that they would review the proposal bearing in mind the concerns expressed on services of general interest, the principle of country of origin and the risk of social dumping (EUROPE of 3 February, p.7). He tried hard to explain that “the referendum on the Constitution is not a referendum on the Bolkestein directive”, that the directive could be adopted even without the European Constitution, and that “if the French public are confused about this, it is not our fault”. French political leaders should tell the public that “this Commission” has already taken the political commitment to amend the proposal of directive, he insisted, adding: France is a country that is “essential” for European construction, but there are also countries which are “very much in favour of the proposal of directive as it stands”, and the Commission must represent the common interest. “I cannot accept the idea that, because there are referendums, the Commission cannot go forward with its work programme”, José Manuel Barroso said.
Questioned about Paul Wolfowitz's candidature for presidency of the World Bank (see above, and EUROPE of 19 March, p.7), Mr Barroso answered: “I believe that one should not have prejudices about people and that they should be judged on their programme”. The European Commissioner for Development, Louis Michel, invited Paul Wolfowitz to Brussels, “if possible” also with the “persons responsible for European development aid policy”, Mr Barroso said.