Strange way of working together. It is understandable that the European Commission doesn't like speculation about disagreements in its midst. It is a collegiate body where what counts is the decisions it makes following discussion. Correct in theory - but we could well ask a few questions about Charlie McCreevy's ideas about working together. He started by challenging the 2009 deadline for sorting out the Constitutional Treaty issue once and for all (see EUROPE 9358). Maybe he is right - it is possible that the work by the German presidency of the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission itself to find a way out of the crisis will fail, but the position taken by President Barroso and the Commission overall is that this has to be achieved by 2009.
More seriously, because it concerns an area close to his own field of responsibility, McCreevy has made it crystal clear that he opposes the idea of a common tax basis for companies in the EU. I am not talking here about the same level of taxation or even a minimum level of taxation, but simply a uniform basis on which calculations are made, to clarify what exactly is being taxed and how. Various political forces argue that a minimum company tax level is vital to avoid tax competition among member states becoming commonplace in the EU, but they do not agree on this and agreement is unlikely to emerge without a struggle. The idea of a common tax basis is, however, generally accepted as a way of improving clarity and fairness. The president of the European Commission has backed the idea on several occasions. McCreevy disagrees, for two reasons. A common tax basis would, in his view, inevitably lead to a single tax rate or a harmonised tax rate in the long term, and would lead to a rise in taxation (see EUROPE 9365). Experts and economists could have a field day discussing this, but I am not talking here about political or economic theories, where everyone can defend their own views. I am simply talking about the question of whether McCreevy feels he is part of a College of Commissioners where differences of opinion are, fortunately, allowed and there is healthy debate, but where one shouldn't go against the stream when the president of the College has made his views clear.
The Decalogue exists. I have done my research - the German presidency's Ten Commandments for the work of the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) have, in fact, really been produced by COREPER chair Wilhelm Schonfelder. The following sentence, quoted in a French newspaper, is therefore genuine - it is OK for the permanent representatives to sleep during meetings but not to snore. I do not agree with comments that the sentence is scandalous. The Germans often get accused of lacking a sense of humour and they should be given credit for trying. I do not claim that this is a particularly fine example but when the aim is to give rather sensitive colleagues some advice, it's often good to strike a playful note to sugar the pill of other very useful comments for a body that cannot continue to operate as in the past. With 27 members, it is no longer a small club where everyone knows one another intimately and where they are coming from, only needing a nod and a wink to put points across, as was possible when there were only 6. Some operating rules are required, if they are wise. I quote here: avoid repeating arguments in COREPER that have already been expressed in other bodies; if several members agree on an issue, they should select one of their group to speak on behalf of them all; etc. This would help improve and clarify preparations for ministerial meetings.
Commissioners and national policy. EU Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel will soon be indicating exactly to what extent he is planning to get involved in the Belgian general elections, possibly leaving the European Commission to return to Belgian politics. There have been different permutations of Commissioners' involvement in national political life in the past, but the situation nowadays has been clarified by the Commissioners' Code of Conduct. Firstly, being increasingly a political breed, Commissioners are allowed to get involved in politics within certain limits. Secondly, if they are planning to get involved in electioneering, they must inform the president of the Commission in advance and the president will decide whether the election involvement is compatible with the job of commissioner. If commissioners plan to take an active role, making direct speeches and arguments, they must withdraw from work at the Commission during the election campaign. Simply being present on an electoral list does not require such withdrawal, however. The Belgian election campaign opens on 10 March 2007 and the decision will have to be taken before then. Louis Michel says he hasn't decided yet, but will not be 'indifferent, neutral or passive'. In case anyone hadn't got the message, he said that if he were to stand in the elections, he certainly wouldn't be keeping his mouth shut.
(F.R.)