Strasbourg, 14/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the opening of the European Council, after hearing from Finnish foreign minister Paula Lehtomäki and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, MEPs said in Strasbourg on Wednesday afternoon what they expected of this summit, particularly on EU enlargement, energy policy and migration issues. Several wanted the European Council not to discuss the European Constitution. During the debate, several MEPs praised the Commission and the Council for the compromise achieved over Turkey before the European Council (see EUROPE 9326) and stressed the need to prepare for the future, whether on enlargement, peace and stability in the world, social cohesion, energy security or climate change.
It was about the future of the EU, of Europe in general, and also the world, said Hans-Gert Pöttering, leader of the EPP-ED group. He hoped the Summit would bring “guidance on EU enlargement” confirming in particular that the EU would meet its commitments, but also pointing out that “Pacta sund servanda”. This applied to Turkey in the Cyprus case, he warned, saying he felt the solution proposed by the Commission and supported by the Council was “very responsible”. “Do you want Turkey to have any prospect of accession or not?” Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist group, asked him. Mr Schulz spoke in particular of relations with Russia (which is not a faultless democracy, but is an essential partner to settle international crises), the conflict in the Middle East (which was a “real danger” and also social Europe ./…
European Parliament Plenary Session (cont.)
(“If the internal market were not social, citizens would have nothing to do with it”). The German Social Democrat also pointed out that his group was willing to work constructively during this second half of the Parliament's mandate, in order to find a “common way” to face up to future challenges. Graham Watson, British Liberal Democrat and head of the ALDE Group, mainly stressed the need for a European immigration policy less focused on security problems and more aware of economic and humanitarian aspects. Regarding the energy dossier, he said he feared the EU is being taken hostage by producers of Russia, Central Asia and Africa, and perhaps “even of Latin America”. On enlargement, he took the view that the constitutional problem should be settled before any further accessions take place as “we will not rewrite the Nice Treaty for Croatia”. Jens-Peter Bonde, President of the Independence and Democracy Group, naturally thought otherwise. Speaking exclusively on the Constitution, he reproached the European “elite” for seeking, by “negotiating in the wings”, to make the French and the Dutch digest, “under Portuguese presidency” (Ed.: from July to December 2007), a text that they have rejected. The Danish MEP asked: Why not rework the Constitution within a new “democratic” Convention and then organise a pan-European referendum? Making the general prediction that Thursday and Friday's Council would “just beat about the bush”, Esko Seppänen, of Finland, who was speaking on behalf of the United Left/European Greens Left, reproached his country for having ratified an “aborted constitutional treaty” (see EUROPE 9321 on ratification of the Constitution by the Finnish Parliament). The summit “will be a real summit” if the leaders manage to get down to concrete matters instead of simply churning out a load of empty phrases “with ribbons on”, warned Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Co-President of the Greens/EFA, who expressed concern about the problem of immigration in particular. “We have built a house, our European house, but we have made a mistake: we have only built windows and we have forgotten the doors. And if there are no doors, people come in through the windows”. He urged for doors to be built, and for “rules” to be established for legal immigration. On the subject of Turkey, he said: “The problem of Turkey's membership has nothing to do with Cyprus. Yes, Ankara must recognise customs union (…) but we must break the blockade of northern Cyprus (…) Cypriots in the north are victim to Turkish nationalism but also of Greek Cypriot nationalism”. Brian Crowley, Co-president of the Union for a Europe of Nations Group, agrees on this point. “Cyprus is a separate issue, a matter for the Cypriots”. The Irish Fianna Fail representative raised two other issues: that of Russia which is seeking to divide Europeans by sending “mixed signals” on meat imports (Mr Crowley trusts the Heads of State and Government will deal with this issue) and that of “genocide”, which continues in Darfur. The Czech non-attached member, Jana Bobosikova, simply focused on the difficulties of the Galileo programme, saying she hoped the European Council would address these matters (see EUROPE 9326 on the subject of the Transport Council's failure to agree on the seat for the Supervisory Body for the European satellite navigation system). She asked the Heads of State and Government whether they would keep their commitment to establish the seat in one of the new Member States, i.e. in Slovenia, Czech Republic or Malta (Ed.: as these countries have put their candidature forward). On this, Graham Watson had hoped the summit would give a positive signal. He cited Galileo Galilei: “Eppur si muove”.
Constitution and Turkey: debate confirms division within Parliament
Danish Socialist Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said they must stick to their line when it comes to Turkey and they must not close the door to the Balkan States. “We must give concrete answers to the concerns expressed by citizens”, he said. This means creating jobs, associating competitiveness and social security, making citizens understand the added value that Europe brings, and carrying out “sincere” reforms. The search for this synthesis between competitiveness should, the president of the European Party of Socialists said, “become a fixed point on the agenda of the European Councils”.
Many MEPs want to speak of Turkey. Luxembourg Socialist Robert Goebbels pointed out that Turkey is part of Europe's history and culture (a Europe which also has many problems and which urgently needs own resources for carrying out its tasks, he said). Spanish Green member Bernat Joan i Mari notes there is growing euro-scepticism among the Turks, and Dutch Socialist Jan Wiersma calls on the Commission to do something to put an end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. British Labour member Gary Titley welcomes the fact that a “train crash” has been avoided with Turkey, but draws attention to the adverse impact on the Union and the Balkans “if the train ground to a halt”. Some MEPs expressed great concern, such as Vittorio Emanuele Agnoletto (GUE/NGL, Italy), who says:
European Parliament Plenary Session (cont.)
“Turkey is playing with Europe”. He deplores the violations of freedom of expression and the way the Kurds have been treated, as well as the choice that Prime Minister Erdogan appears to have made by taking sides with the “former nationalist Turkey”. Panayotis Demietriou (EPP/ED, Cyprus) asserts: “I support Turkey's Europeanisation” but it must accept an equitable solution for Cyprus and put an end to its occupation. For others, the compromise solution chosen in talks with Turkey is not enough. Françoise Grossetête (EPP/ED, France) is among those who argue in favour of suspending talks as a whole.
The Constitution will be one of the main themes of the European Council and Alexander Stubb (EPP/ED, Finland) is not in favour of a “mini-treaty”. “I would prefer a treaty plus, a sort of second edition”, he said. Although, as he used to be an official at the Finnish permanent representation, Mr Stubb does understand the need for confidentiality, he would also have liked a little more information on what is being prepared at the European Council in this field (Minister Lehtomäki pronounced this impossible as they were still at the “listening phase”). On the same subject, Andrew Duff (ALDE, UK) calls for concrete proposals on renegotiation of the treaty and denounces the contradictions of those who say it should be saved and who also block the abolition of unanimity and the veto. Czech Socialist Libor Roucek (pointing out that the vote on REACH shows that, when it wants to, the Union can work well) has called on the countries that have not yet ratified the treaty to clearly state what they intend to do. Reopening the debate on the Constitution, however, is not to the liking of everyone. “It shouldn't be brought in through the back door .. during secret discussions”, added Kartika Liotard (GUE/NGL, NL), while Louis Patrick (IND/DEM, France) says one should not “resuscitate a text that no-one wants”.
Discussion at the European Council will also turn to justice and immigration and Nigel Farage (UK Independence Party) is intransigent when it comes to respect of the principle of Habeas Corpus. Francisco Millan Mon of Spain, however, who expresses concern about the flow of illegal migrants, demands negotiation of readmission agreements and the strengthening of the Union's southern borders.
Generally speaking, José Salafranca (EPP/ED, Spain) considers the “strategic alliance” between Parliament and Commission should be reinstated, as it has been the base for considerable success. Effectiveness, democracy, financial capacity - those are the priorities that should be clearly stated at the European Council, said French Socialist Pervenche Berès, denouncing the dangers of an internal market without a social dimension, which only serves the interests of the strongest.
By way of conclusion, José Manuel Barroso said European leaders must clearly identify what Union enlargement represents for them, at the political, economic, cultural and even historic level. He said that, during a German television broadcast, in which Chancellor Angela Merkel was also taking part, he was compelled to point out that the latest enlargement was not harmful to Germany but that, on the contrary, before enlargement in 1994, German exports to candidate countries were worth €17 billion, whereas they are now worth €80 billion towards the new member states. (mg/lg)