Brussels, 18/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - Continuing our series of interviews with key European figures, Elmar Brok agreed to answer our questions on Europe's achievements so far and its priorities for the future. The former chairman of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee defends the Community method and hopes the next EU high representative for foreign affairs will take on his role within the European Commission with authority over the future European diplomatic service. The pace at which new legislation is produced and enlargement takes place should slow down in favour of a “policy of consolidation”, he tells us. (A.B.)
Agence Europe: Europe needs a strong and credible European Commission that can say “no” to the member states, Mr Barroso said before his investiture. Do you believe that the Commission has made good on this promise?
Elmar Brok: The strength of any Commission has to manifest itself through its ability to take up proactive political, intellectual and coherent leadership in order to avoid being just a bureaucratic secretariat. The Commission has to ensure that general and specific EU strategies are developed and implemented. For this, it has to win over the Council and the European Parliament. In this sense, there is room for improvement.
A.E.: How do you evaluate the role and actions of the current European Commission on the international stage?
E.B.: As the world's most powerful trading bloc, the EU is of great international importance especially in those areas in which the European Commission can conduct negotiations on behalf of the member states, according to the so-called Community method. Due to the current division of powers, there is no overall coherent operational policy. The creation of the post of high representative for the Union in foreign affairs and security policy, who will be the vice-president of the Commission and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Council - thereby combining the jobs of three different persons - will make it possible to reduce this problem.
The high representative has to see him- or her- self as a member of the Commission and establish the new diplomatic service under the Commission's responsibility to ensure coherent administration. The political competences of the Council remain untouched by this. However, the Treaty of Lisbon must not be misused to strengthen the unproductive intergovernmental approach at the expense of the well-functioning Community method. It is to be hoped the Commission has the courage to use its right to say “no” to any wrong-headed proposals by the Council. The European Parliament will judge the Commission according to the way it deals with this issue.
A.E.: With its Green, White or Blue Papers, is the European Commission at risk of becoming a sort of publishing house?
E.B.: The Green and White Papers are a good way of ensuring broad discussion among legislators and stakeholders early on during the legislative process to see whether legislation makes sense. I would like to see the Commission more strongly consider the less convenient conclusions of this process. Overall, we need less new legislation today but more uniform implementation and revision of legislation. The Commission as well as the legislator should give priority to a policy of consolidation.
A.E.: In his speech to the European Parliament in mid November, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stressed “Europe has to be more than just a machine, an administrative machine, a legal machine, a machine for decreeing standards, regulations, directives, a machine for constructing constraints, rules, procedures”. To what extent do you share this view?
E.B.: The European Union is a union of shared values, of a shared history and a legal community. Emphasising these dimensions of the European Union is of utmost importance if the EU is to set free its great political potential and if it is to get the European public involved and obtain greater public support. The European Union started as a peace project and it has become the answer to most of today's global challenges. In our common market, harmonisation is a necessity, but it does not capture the heart of EU citizens.
A.E.: Wasn't John Bruton's proposal for an election of a president by universal suffrage the only true way to give Europe a face?
E.B.: In the future, the Commission president will be proposed in light of the result of the European Election. In this way, he or she will have the greatest democratic legitimacy. The new president of the European Council will only coordinate and head the European Council. It is explicitly not foreseen that the post will have access to the General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Council or to the legislative staff. An election by universal suffrage would be wrong because the president, as well as the European citizens, could then get the wrong impression about the meaning of the position.
A.E.: What should the EC do in order to make a political Union a reality?
E.B.: Most importantly, the member states of the European Union should ratify the Treaty of Lisbon. This is already a major step in the direction of a political union, because it makes the Union more democratic, more efficient and strengthens its ability to act. We have to ensure that the Union does not become fragmented. We need a European Union in which all member states follow shared goals and values. The new Treaty has great potential which has to be used in the right way. A policy of consolidation and implementation must have priority. This means cutting down on the speed of legislation and enlargement.