Brussels, 27/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The 53 Romanian and Bulgarian observers, who took part in their first plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Monday evening, found themselves in the thick of the debate on the future of Europe, inspired by the energetic speech made by President Borrell, who decided, as part of his greeting to them, to lay out the working priorities of the Parliament in this sensitive phase (EUROPE 9035). This session, which was attended by the British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott (who is a former member of the European Parliament), was seen by several MEPs as an opportunity to voice their frustration at not seeing the start of the broader debate on the future of Europe, which was recommended by the European Council last June, to call for the European Constitution not be put on ice (with two exceptions) and to stress the need to reach agreement on the financial perspectives 2007-2013 by the end of the year. At the end of the debate, the vice president of the Commission, Margot Wallström, tried to convince the MEPs that the Barroso Commission is still committed to the European Constitution, and that it intends to respect the inter-institutional agreement between it and the Parliament.
In his speech (see below), Josep Borrell recognise that the European project "is suffering from a crisis of identity which we cannot overlook ", and during the debate (during which the presidents of the political groups took the floor), the president of the EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert Pöttering, said that he agreed with him. "I am perfectly convinced that the only way that we will be able to react to this crisis of identity is if we affirm the values which unite us, in the European Constitution", said the CDU MEP, who believes that part II of the Constitution must be safeguarded, and "not give the impression that the Constitution is no longer on the agenda". Mr Pöttering also agreed with President Borrell's idea of inviting not just the Presidency in exercise, but also other Heads of State and Government to speak before the European Parliament as part of the broader debate on the future of Europe. As for the European Commission's "Better Regulation" initiative, he warned: fundamentally, the Commission is right, but it must not forget that it must first and foremost keep the Parliament informed. The president of the Socialist group, Martin Schulz, replied: President Barroso could have told us at the conference of the Presidents of the groups in Brussels last Thursday, but "we were told that Mr Barroso could not come because Mr Pöttering was not there (…). But where was Mr Barroso? In Lisbon, by invitation of Mr Pöttering..." (for the EPP-ED study days: see other article). The German Social Democrat almost shouted himself hoarse, saying that whilst the Commission should be fighting for the Constitution, it has been "absent for far too long from the debate on the Constitution and the financial perspectives". Let us invite Mr Chirac and Mr Balkenende here to explain to us "how they intend to move forward" after the "no" vote returned by their citizens to the European Constitution, suggested Graham Watson, president of the ALDE group, stating that Paris and The Hague should be capable of "leading their people". The British Liberal Democrat also called upon the Commission to "set the agenda, otherwise the Member States will do it for you", observing: previously, the European Parliament looked to the Commission to find its direction. As for the financial perspectives, he warned: with a budget limited to 1% of GDP, we will not achieve our objectives. "You've got here just in time!" said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-president of the Greens/EFA group, to the Romanian and Bulgarian observers, explaining: "this Parliament is visibly furious with the Commission. As for Tony Blair, he spoke to us (in Brussels in June), and then he left, never to return". The German Green went on (to the visible impatience of John Prescott): "if Blair wants to play cricket and drink his cup of tea, that's not our cup of tea. We want a Presidency which takes care of its business, a Commission which proposes laws...". "I don't know what the Commission wants. Does Ms Reding wants to make television à la Berlusconi, with advertising everywhere? We don't want that. What the Commission wants will never have a majority here", he added (on the imminent revision of the legislation on Television without Borders).
Speaking in more measured tones, Francis Wurtz, president of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left was just as firm: yes, we are going through an identity crisis, and "if we make do with adapting to globalisation, there will be no more room for the social dimension or solidarity". What European Parliament to send out "positive signals" to the citizens, in the face of this "great uneasiness?". According to Mr Wurtz, the Parliament: -could take political initiatives on "major issues", such as "war and peace", and invite people like Cindy Sheehan, the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq, who has been protesting outside the White House for weeks (and who was arrested on Monday because she refused to end her sit-in: Ed) ; - "will be judged on the votes on the directives". Mr Wurtz referred to those on rail transport, services (which Mr Barroso "was right not to withdraw"), port services, working time; -can " help to give free speech to our citizens", by encouraging "genuine debates, without taboos, to breathe life into the European dream". Ever the optimist, the President of the Union for a Europe of Nations group, Brian Crowley, refused to see a Europe plunged into deep crisis: the majority of our citizens see it as something positive, he pointed out. At the same time, the Irish Fianna Fail called upon the EU to be "realistic", not to make too much out of it; we in the European Parliament, must not "be deficient in our legislative work", he warned.
Anti-Europeans delighted that some see the Constitution as dead and buried
There were only two discordant voices during this debate: those of the anti-Europeans of the Independence and Democracy group and the extreme right. Nigel Farage, co-president of the Ind/Dem group, said to the Romanian and Bulgarian observers: you are observers, so take a good look around you, have a good look at "this club, which looks more and more like the political system that you freed yourselves from", but obviously, after the lunches and dinners you will get here, you'll go home with an "expanding waistline" and "you'll say that all is fine". However, added the UK Independence Party member, this club treats the French and Dutch electorate with "absolute disdain", because "the Constitution should be dead". It gives Jean-Marie Le Pen (Front national, France) great satisfaction to note the "death blow dealt by Barroso to the European Constitution, the text of which is the enemy of liberty". Mr Le Pen added that "we will speak out against any backtracking on the part of Chirac over the CAP", and also denounced the French president for having asked for European involvement in the redundancies at Hewlett-Packard (see EUROPE 9035). "For shame, Chirac has humiliated himself because in this kind of affair, it is normal for Paris to decide, not Brussels or Geneva", he added. As for "economic patriotism" (which was called for by the French Prime Minister Dominique Villepin, whom he did not quote), Mr Le Pen claims to have fathered this concept.
Margot Wallstrom: we continue to support the Constitution - The Parliament knew that "Better Regulation" was one of our priorities
Speaking with much solemnity, the vice president of the European Commission Margot Wallstrom answered the criticism of the MEPs, starting by pointing out that the Commission has always supported the Constitution, that it took an active part in the European Convention and had the Constitution on the agenda of every one of its weekly meetings for months. It is unlikely, however, that the Constitution will be ratified in the foreseeable future, she noted, taking up President Barroso's reasoning. Before the summer, we presented our "Plan D", she also pointed out, stressing: the public debate which is soon to open must be very "broad" and must be more than just a "rescue operation for the Constitution". As for the "Better Regulation" initiative, she said: you have known for a long time that this is one of the priorities of this Commission, and your assembly has been informed of this on many occasions. This Tuesday in Strasbourg, it will be the first time that the whole College has discussed it, and its complete proposal will then be put to your plenary, she said, pledging that the Commission would respect the provisions of the inter-institutional agreement concluded with the EP. What we do this Tuesday is "prior notice" of our intentions, she indicated.
Mr Borrell stresses limitations of "Better Regulation" initiative and plays down Mr Barroso's comments on the Constitution - Sense of urgency for the budget
In his press conference on Tuesday, President Borrell warned against succumbing to "pessimism", in spite of current difficulties. How can this be done? By resolving the urgent problems (particularly that of the financial perspectives 2007-2013), and by finally starting the broad debate on the future of Europe. In this "autumn dominated by the Commission's message on Better Regulation", Mr Borrell said: obviously, the Commission has every right to withdraw its proposals, but it must keep the Parliament informed, as provided by article 32 of the inter-institutional agreement. What does "informing the Parliament" mean? "Obviously, more than just slipping us a note 10 minutes beforehand", because we need to have an opportunity to react, said Mr Borrell. The President of the Parliament: who wondered how certain of the Commissioners may react to the idea of withdrawing proposals they themselves had made as part of the previous College- noted that in terms of the form, everything would depend on the stage of the legislative process that particular text had reached. And so, if there is already a common position of the Council, the opinions of lawyers on withdrawing this text would diverge, he noted. "The legal services are already in the process of looking into the limitations of the Commission's capacity" to withdraw texts, he said. On the substance, Mr Borrell said: here, it will be a question of asking "what and why" and checking which are the fields at play- environment, social, single market?- and in this way, we can avoid a political debate. It will be up to the Parliamentary committees in question to say what they think, he said in reply to a question. When urged to do so by the press, Mr Borrell refused to anticipate a situation of conflict with the European Commission.
When asked about the recent comments of President Barroso to the effect that the European Constitution would not enter into force within the next two years, Mr Borrell admitted: I cannot understand the reaction triggered by these "fairly anodyne words" of José Manuel Barroso, which, in reality, described a situation of fact. I have spoken to Mr Barroso, who has assured me that he never said that the Constitution was "dead and buried", Mr Borrell told the journalists. "This is a storm in a teacup", he said. He went on to quote a Spanish proverb: while we wait for the Constitution, we would be better to "plough the earth with the oxen we have". The process will be a long one, we must allow the debate to settle, said Mr Borrell.
As for the budgetary problems, Mr Morrell said: "we can live without financial perspectives- badly, but we can- but we cannot live without a budget (...). If there is no agreement on the financial perspectives under the UK Presidency, I think that we will absolutely have to do start work on the 2007 project as of next January".
EUROPE will publish the full text of the speech by President Borrell in its EUROPE/Documents series.