An innovative European commissioner. I would not be writing about the colloquium, organised by the European Commission on Wednesday to mark the centenary of the birth of Altiero Spinelli, had this colloquium been limited to recalling and celebrating what he did in the construction of Europe. In fact, Beniamino Olivi, who organised and chaired the event, and most of the speakers, made the link with current European affairs by asking two questions. What lessons can be drawn from Mr Spinelli's achievements as a European commissioner (from 1970 to 1976)? Is the EU today moving towards the common policies which he suggested and sometimes initiated?
The responses were instructive. Altiero Spinelli introduced or reinforced innovations in the working and the life of the Commission, which are still largely relevant. First of all, the real application of the principle of collegiate responsibility: his vision of Europe covered all areas, and he intervened and took initiatives in his colleagues' affairs, and on occasion was critical of what they were doing. He went far beyond his remit of industry and research, initiating debate on issues which are considered today to be crucial. He thus brought areas, such as the environment and energy, which were not even mentioned in the Treaty, into the Community debate. At the time, the industrial policy commissioner was thought of as the defender, almost the natural spokesman, of business leaders. Mr Spinelli called on these business leaders to, first of all, give consideration to research and the impact their activity had on the natural environment. He introduced the principle of “the polluter pays” 40 years before it was included in Community legislation. He foresaw the coming of globalisation.
A double visionary. His colleagues at the time - Robert Toulemon, Gerardo Mombelli, Gianfranco Rocca and Virgilio Dastoli - stressed at the colloquium that he was a “visionary” not only in the area of politics, but also of economics.
Altiero Spinelli's political vision marked minds. Monica Frassoni, Joint President of the Greens group in the European Parliament, expressed her astonishment when she discovered that the “Ventotene Manifesto” had been written in 1941, long before she was born. At the same time, however, Altiero Spinelli was practical and pragmatic. Here are two significant comments from speakers: a) on becoming a European commissioner, he said he “felt it was more useful to work for Europe from the inside, rather than criticise its shortcomings from the sidelines” (Paolo Ponzano); b) “without ever losing sight of the objective, he used whatever was available to him at the time” (Etienne Davignon). What is indeed surprising is this double side to Altiero Spinelli, an intransigent ideologue but, at the same time, extremely preoccupied with effectiveness.
Renato Ruggiero, who was a Commission spokesman before becoming the Italian foreign minister, said that the present draft amending treaty “picks up whole chunks of the draft European Treaty which Mr Spinelli got the Parliament to approve in 1982”. In his opinion, the relation is clear, and despite his bitterness at some gaps, Mr Ruggiero said that, when all is said and done, “the eurosceptics always lose”. This is not an opinion shared by all, but it makes us feel good.
A lot of attention was given to one point, which has not been taken up in the on-going negotiations on the new amending treaty (but which has been raised by Philippe de Schoutheete, see this column on newsletter 9499): what is to be done if this treaty is not ratified by one or more member states. Monica Frassoni believes the time has now come to give serious thought to a two-speed Europe. She has no confidence in the “slam steps” strategy, which means, in practice, giving up on something every time: today the symbols of Europe (regretted by several speakers), tomorrow some other objective, until, “with one little step back leading to another, soon it's goodbye to the relaunch of European integration!” Robert Toulemon noted that the 1982 Spinelli project responded to this issue, providing for the treaty's coming into effect as soon as it had been ratified by a majority of member states comprising two thirds of the population of the Union.
To be continued. Tomorrow I will continue these notes, commenting on Etienne Davignon's speech, which, in my opinion, provided very significant points for reflection on how things stand at this moment in European integration, and the defence of the Commission's right of initiative by its Vice-President Franco Frattini.
(F.R.)