Brussels, 24/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - The president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, reiterated on Wednesday to the press in Brussels, where he was meeting with José Manuel Barroso and several commissioners, that France was determined to help find a “rapid” solution to the Union's institutional crisis, leading to a “simplified treaty” as the “only solution possible” and for which a “precise” mandate would need to be approved by the European Council on 21-22 June. He also requested that the EU took the concerns of citizens more into account and that it should protect, not provoke concerns about globalisation. In the context of WTO trade negotiations, he again criticised Commissioner Peter Mandelson's negotiating brief and insisted on the reciprocity of concessions that the EU had already made in discussions in Geneva. Mr Sarkozy also announced French proposals in favour of a “genuine economic government” for the Eurozone and confirmed his hostility to Turkish EU accession, a subject that he does not want to put on the table yet, however, because it could be “counterproductive” in the current context of institutional reforms and because the Turkish question is not at the moment being posed.
European Commission president, Mr Barroso, said to the press that he welcomed the rapidity with which the new French president came to Brussels: “It is a greatly significant gesture, a gesture for Europe”. Mr Barroso declared that Mr Sarkozy had enormous “will power, energy and dynamism and I expect that he will act on behalf of France but also on behalf of Europe”.
A “simplified treaty” for the EU. The French president insisted that the Union cannot remain in the “relative paralysis” it has found itself since the French and Dutch “no” votes on the European constitution. He explained that no solutions would be found by doing nothing and that “the situation quickly needs unblocking…we've lost too much time, we need to move quickly”. The French president stated that the simplified treaty only contained “a few articles” and was the “only possible solution…I can see that we can progress on this idea”. As for the contents of this simplified treaty, Mr Sarkozy explained that “it cannot be a constitution” and would only provide a few indications in this respect: “stable presidency” of the Council, strengthened cooperation, extension of votes to qualified majority (particularly in the area of immigration). Mr Sarkozy noted that he had received a mandate from the French people to negotiate a treaty, “which will be ratified by the Parliament. France, therefore, has some negotiating leeway to break the deadlock,” he said. Mr Barroso also stated that “a consensus is beginning to form around the idea of a simplified treaty”. This same consensus also prevailed at the informal meeting in Sintra on 12-13 May, in which the current European Council President Angela Merkel took part, Mr Barroso said. What mattered for the Commission (which would have preferred a Constitutional Treaty, Mr Barroso said) is that the new treaty allowed the EU to act “with more efficiency, more democratic legitimacy and more coherence on the external level”.
Economic government for the eurozone. A priority for France is for the eurozone to have a “genuine economic government”, but without bringing the role and independence of the European Central bank (ECB) into question. “We will take initiatives when the time comes to move things on” in this area, Mr Sarkozy announced, and he said he already had clear ideas and a timetable in mind. He stressed, however, that “it would not be the right thing to do to put them forward before an already busy European Council” (in June). “That could complicate everything, when I want to simplify it,” he said, noting the priority he wanted to give to the new EU treaty. The French president wanted the high level of the euro, particularly against the dollar to be discussed. Should “monetary dumping” be added to tax, wage, social and environmental dumping, he wondered. He stressed, “I have never challenged the independence of the ECB”.
WTO trade negotiations. “I support free trade, globalisation doesn't frighten me”, but France will not allow itself to be locked into a negotiating mandate (given to Commissioner Peter Mandelson by member states) “which only allows the choice between naivety and closure,” Mr Sarkozy told press. “I want reciprocity” in concessions to be made: “if Europe has to open up, I want the others to open up too, at the same time and under the same conditions,” he said. He also defended European agriculture which France is not prepared to concede for services in WTO negotiations. “I believe that Europe's food independence is very important, I believe that food security is very important and I have not been given a mandate to sell off European or French agriculture”.
“I don't want people to say to me: it's services or agriculture … I don't have a vision of a Europe where we won't be allowed to have farmers in order to have services opened up…”. Europe, the world's largest exporter, “cannot close its doors” to competition from around the world, said Mr Barroso; “It would be bad for our economy and our employment, and that includes France's”. He nonetheless acknowledged that, to achieve a balanced agreement on trade liberalisation, “other” countries particularly the United States, would have to “make a bit more effort” on domestic agricultural subsidies.
Turkey. “I haven't changed my mind: I don't think that Turkey belongs in the European Union,” Mr Sarkozy said. He did not, however, see “any point in asking that question at the moment, when there is nothing to ask” since the EU had enough on its plate with the reform of its institutions. Even though the debate on Turkey was “unavoidable”, it would be “counterproductive” to launch it right now. After the IGC on the future Treaty, the future of the EU, its absorption capacity and its borders could be debated “calmly, deeply and sincerely”, he said.
Stronger cooperation, several speed Europe. “I prefer a Europe that advances through increased cooperation to one that stagnates,” Mr Sarkozy said in response to a question, lamenting the lack of progress on immigration policy because of the requirement for unanimity. However, he said, “I am wary of the circles” which would separate member states into “first and second divisions”. The European Commission also favours stronger cooperation “if it brings greater flexibility and progress in certain areas”, but it would be a “grave error” to “stratify Europe”, to differentiate between “first and second class member states, Mr Barroso said.
Seat of European Parliament. “No,” the seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg “is not up for discussion,” Mr Sarkozy said in response to a journalist's question. The seat was set by the treaty, it was part of the EU's “founding balance” “and I do not see how Strasbourg could be negotiable and not the other seats” of the European institutions, he said. (hb)