Strasbourg, 14/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - Our debate this morning shows that it will not be “as easy as that” to restate, in a two-page declaration, the common “values” of Europe, said the president of the Council of the EU, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, concluding the discussions of 14 March with the members of the European Parliament, on the subject of the Declaration of Berlin, which is to be adopted by the Council, Commission and Parliament on 25 March, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. These “values”, however, were one of the points on which most of those who spoke were in agreement, with the notable exception of various Eurosceptics. Certain MEPs criticised the method selected by the German presidency to negotiate this text, as they felt it was not open enough. However, the vice-president of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, defended it, stating that a two-page text cannot be negotiated with 450 million citizens, but that there had been a public discussion on the Declaration of Berlin, and you, the European elected representatives, should be listening to your electorate, “with your ear to the ground” (for more on this subject, see EUROPE of 9385). Almost all of the leaders of the political groups stressed both the need to highlight the conquests of 50 years of European integration and the challenges of the future, but only a few of them explicitly referred to the European Constitution: the anti-Europeans did so in order to proclaim it dead and buried, and the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, did so to demand: we, the European Parliament must reiterate that the Constitutional Treaty needs to become a reality. This was echoed by German Social Democrat Jo Leinen, who said that it must be recognised that the current treaties are insufficient for the task in hand, and take position in favour of “the new treaty”. He voiced his hopes that the German presidency would have the same courage on this point as it had shown, at the European Council of 8-9 March, on the subject of climate protection. As for the president of the Council, and Commissioner Wallström, they felt that the success of the Spring summit on the subject was extremely encouraging for negotiations on the Declaration of Berlin.
Opening the debate, Mr Pöttering, who will sign the Declaration in Berlin with the presidents of the other institutions, welcomed the fact that the Berlin meeting had not just been a meeting between governments, and had outlined what should, in his opinion, feature in the text: the fundamental “conquests” of 50 years of European construction, the elements which are behind this construction (in particular the Community method), essential values of the EU (in particular, human dignity and the principle of solidarity, which must be expressed firmly today in a field such as energy), future challenges (energy, climate, security policy, internal security and social cohesion). Jo Leinen also voiced his hopes that the “Community method” would be mentioned in the Declaration of Berlin, where they explain “what the EU has which is special”: this method must become the rule also for the “second and third pillars”, he stated, to applause from his colleagues. This notion is very familiar to the “Europe professionals”, but is less easy for the general public to understand, noted Mr Steinmeier, and Mr Pöttering suggested that the declaration could, for example, speak of the “strength of the European institutions”.
In his speech, Frank-Walter Steinmeier also stressed the need for the Declaration of Berlin to turn both “towards the past and towards the future”, a past we can be proud of, he added, noting the role played by the European Parliament over the years, which has made a great deal of progress possible, and in particular, “more integration, more democracy, more transparency”. 25 March should be a day of confidence and optimism, said the German foreign affairs minister, who believes that last week's European Council showed that even a Europe with 27 member states is capable of taking action and offering solutions to the challenges of the future. The Declaration of Europe, which “is not yet definitively ready”, should be a short text, which is easy for citizens to understand, he repeated. Pledging that the German presidency would take account of the contents of the debate at the Parliament, Mr Steinmeier stated that the Declaration of Berlin would: - pay tribute, in its first part, to what European construction has made possible in 50 years: peace, stability, well-being, and also an “end to the division of the continent”. Without the “desire for liberty” of our fellow citizens from Eastern Europe, this would not have been possible, and the Declaration will make this plain, emphasised Mr Steinmeier; - it will recall, among the successes of Europe, the principles which underpin the way it works: democracy, transparency, subsidiarity and equality between the member states… these are all principles we can be proud of, and which can be used as an example for the “regional cooperation” of other countries: - it will state the European fundamental values: solidarity, liberty, responsibility, tolerance, respect for others, because Europe is “more than a common economic area”, and these values allow it to function as a “political entity”; - it will restate the “tasks for the future”, which include energy, the climate and the security and defence policy, and, “of course”, the fight against terrorism (in full respect of human rights), a joint approach to illegal immigration (here, the vice-president of the Greens group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, accused him of forgetting the “50 million illegal immigrants who live with us and who want more rights”), and the European model of society. Europe has a “social face”, and during their discussion last week, the heads of state and government stressed this fact, said Mr Steinemeier. Noting that the “process of reforming and renewing” Europe will continue, and that there will be European elections in two years' time, he stated: the voters have the right to know what instruments we have at our disposal if we are to complete all of these tasks, and so we want the Declaration of Berlin to include a “common commitment” to create the basis for this.
We must show that Europe “is facing the future”, that we want “a better and stronger Union” in the interests of the citizens, added Margot Wallström, who went on to note that “we are in agreement” on the need for a short declaration, which is “accessible”, “concrete, but not too specific”, which acknowledges our successes, but turns towards the future, stressing what makes Europe “special”. She feels that the success of the Spring summit shows that “we should not be timid”, and that the Declaration of Berlin should stress “the genius of the EU”, which is capable of keeping “the right balance between the general and particular, the common and the individual”. We should also state that enlargement has been a plus for the EU, said the commissioner, adding that the EU is not “obsessed” by institutional issues; if it is concerned about its institutions, it is because it wants them to function well.
Our political family has always played a central role in favour of European integration, pointed out Joseph Daul, President of the EPP-ED group, who paid “a tribute of admiration and affection” to the Europeans who lived for 50 years “under the yoke of communism”. 2007 is not only the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, it is also the 60th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, and without the help of the United States, neither the Schuman Declaration nor the Treaty of Rome could have seen the light of day, said the UMP MEP. Martin Schulz, President of the Socialist group, feels that “we are at a crossroads”; either we keep our course set for more European integration, or we go towards “renationalisation”. And “even in this house”, there are “propagandists of hate”, the German Social Democrat complained, wondering why the younger generation show so much disaffection towards Europe. We must give the young people concrete answers, tell them that in Europe, they have an opportunity to be trained and educated and to get a decent job, that they can give their children the same opportunities, said Mr Schulz. If this is what you are saying, then it means that after 50 years, European integration has not produced this kind of result, retorted Bruno Gollnish, President of the Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty group, who believes that Europe has created unemployment, poverty and precariousness “by opening up its borders indiscriminately”: our industries “are ruined, one after the other, our farmers are condemned in 2013, and even our services are being deferred”, said the French National Front MEP. Speaking from the opposite corner, Graham Watson, President of the ALDE group, believes that the Declaration of Berlin provides the opportunity to explain to the citizens why the EU is more necessary than ever. Give us a “short and simple” text, of the kind that can be “nailed to the door of the church”, the British Liberal Democrat told Angela Merkel, repeating that a two-page declaration is one page too many, and the Committee of the Regions made a declaration in nine points that “says it all”. Cristiana Muscardini, co-president of the UEN group, referred to the Schuman Declaration on a number of occasions, and pleaded in favour of a “resumption of the debate for a new Treaty”, because the EU of 27 cannot work with the rules which were “already too narrow for a Europe of 15”. I cannot see where you're getting your optimism from, Daniel Cohn-Bendit challenged the Council and the Commission, adding that “if we talk about prosperity, then we must also talk about poverty, and poverty exists in Europe”. I do not have a lot of faith in your “sherpa” method, and the great danger of your strategy is its “banality”, the German Green protested vehemently, adding: you want to talk about the climate in your Declaration? All right then, say that in 50 years, the EU will use 100% renewable energy sources. To conclude: if we are speaking of values, then we also need to talk about minority rights, right to sexual orientation, and no reference to God… Equally firm, Francis Wurtz, President of the GUE/NGL group, feared that the Declaration of Berlin would only be a “celebration” of an anniversary, which would, politically speaking, be “a complete waste of time”. Criticising the fact that the method chosen was an “almost behind-closed-doors meeting of the leaders”, the French communist called for “a good dose of critical spirit on the causes of this crisis in confidence” between Europe and the Europeans, in order to pave the way for “a real relaunch of the European project”. A far more virulent Nigel Farage, co-president of the Independence and Democracy group, joked: with the Declaration of Berlin, we think that we can even “control the weather”, and we speak of fundamental values as if it was Europe which invented them, even though the economic social model does not work and we are “an entire economic generation behind the United States”. Roger Helmer, a UK Independent member, added: the EU makes Europe “poorer, less democratic and less free”, and Angela Merkel has ignored the “no-votes” to the European Constitution, which should be “dead, kaput”, but which, “like Dracula of Frankenstein, refuses to lie down”. (mg)