Brussels, 21/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission finished its seminar on the European social model and future of Europe, at Hélécine, reaffirming that “its objectives, methods and the pertinence of the European dimension as the only response to globalisation”. It also decided that to “go on the offensive for resolving urgent problems” (such as financial perspectives) and provided a contribution on the future of Europe as called for by the European Council last June. This is the gist of what president Barroso told the press on Wednesday. He also explained that he preferred to speak about “economic and social challenges in the context of globalisation” rather than the “European social model” (the theme will be at the heart of the informal Council on 27-28 October: Editor's note). Barroso indicated that after their seminar they had made two major observations: only the European dimension could help impact the impact of globalisation (Member States on their own could do nothing,, he said); in the “near future, there won't be a European Constitution. We regret this, as we were committed to it” but in an effort to escape this “paralysis”, they had to avoid “concentrating all our energies on the elaboration of institutional scenarios”.
Mr Barroso said that “the best way of getting out of the crisis” provoked by the French and Dutch no votes on the Constitution was to produce concrete measures and “get the European agenda moving”. Assailed by journalists, who criticised him for prioritising economic integration over the political project, Mr Barroso retorted that Europe should not become “a bureaucratic and technocratic enterprise, it only has a chance of succeeding if it is a political venture”. He explained that during the year they had made some important constructions and highlighted the relaunch of Lisbon and significant proposals presented to the press by the three Commissioners (state aid, justice and internal affairs and the environment: see other articles). Barroso averred that their execution rate was “well above the average of previous Commissions”. He also appealed for a “modern vision of Europe” as “the world has changed, Europe has changed, young people have different expectations than fifty, forty, thirty, twenty or ten years ago”. He explained that his Commission did not was to “legislate incorrectly and regulate for regulation's sake” because that could complicate matters. He hammered home the fact that they should not “count on this Commission to tell people what they have not understood”. They need to be listened to with humility and we have to admit that we can make mistakes”. At the same time, Barroso was keen to point out that the Commission intended to play a full role as guardian of the Treaty and “in this respect we will make no concessions”.
Barroso then summed up the conclusions of the Commissioners' seminar.
The Commission is calling on the British presidency to make funding a solution to financial perspectives for 2007-13 a high priority. The president explained that they needed a budget by the end of this year. He also warned that this was urgent and it was crucial for Member States as further delay could cost these countries dearly. He also asked how” the future of Europe can be discussed if they are unable to agree on a budget for the next three years”. He announced that they would “go on the offensive and draw on the broad consensus at the European Parliament” and would work on the points where they were blocked in an effort to get out of the impasse, “not on the figures, as that's the work of the presidency”. He pointed out that at last June's European Council only three Member States out of the Twenty or “perhaps Twenty Five” were against the Luxembourg presidency's compromise proposal.
Other concrete constructions seen by Commissioners as priorities and illustrated by Mr Barroso are: - the “Better Regulation” initiative (EUROPE 9027, 9028, 9031). Defending himself against accusations of wanting to renationalise European legislation (the proof, proposals made by Commissioner Frattini), Barroso affirmed, “we want legislation that takes into account citizens and companies, not a bureaucratic monster. It's important adding added impetus to the economy”. He hoped that next Tuesday (in Strasbourg) the Commission would be able to withdraw around 70 texts currently being discussed before then tackling the “simplification of the Community acquis”. He explained that they would keep the acquis but not what was absurd and obsolete, he repeated.
- draft proposals on services in the internal market and REACH (chemical products). Mr Barroso explained that these were important proposals which they were committed to (no Member State had called for the withdrawal of the services proposal even though some had reservations about it, he said.
- He was also keen to point out that they thought that solutions appeared to be in the offing and which went “in the right direction, a balanced direction” between the different demands. He added that, “we are ready to make the necessary modifications to reach a consensus, if possible, this year”.
Commenting on the debate on the future of Europe and the reflection period agreed on after the interruption of the ratification process on the European Constitution, Barroso explained, “until now, I have not seen any major reflection. Just what are the Member States doing?” Pleased that the British presidency had arranged an informal summit on the issue, the Commission president said that this debate had to happen at two levels: economic and social. This means evaluating the “impact of our economic systems on global competitiveness” and that it was in this spirit that he was preparing his communication for the summit; the future of Europe in general. Mr Barroso indicated that the Commission was prepared to “support national debates”, notably by providing information on what Europe was doing. He announced that Margot Wallström would soon be presenting “a concrete plan, our road map” for the debate when several Commissioners will go with her to Member States if the latter so wished. On the question of his observation that there would not be a European constitution in the near future, Barroso explained that the Commission was the guardian of the treaties that existed and not of those that did not exist. At this state France and the Netherlands had explained that they would not be ratifying the Constitution, explained the president, “in the near future… if in the meantime they say they had found a solution I would be the happiest of all Europeans and I would not exclude that during the big debate a solution is found but for the instant there isn't any and it has to be recognised”. He also repeated that they had to face reality and again say, “I want to avoid the idea of paralysis, the idea of a void, an impasse”. Mr Barroso replied to the question of why the Commission was not proposing another solution in the following way, “Because what we want is the Constitution”.