Brussels, 17/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 15 April, the lawyer, Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, handed in to the French minister for the economy, industry and employment, Christine Lagarde, and to her counterpart for labour, social relations, the family and solidarity, Xavier Bertrand, a report entitled “Europe in a globalising world”, which proposes a new strategic vision called “EuroMonde 2015” with a view to the French EU Council Presidency. The aim is to define a coherent external policy in the context of the Lisbon Strategy.
The author of the report recommends adding an “external chapter” to the Lisbon Strategy: the European Union must build an external economic strategy based on identification of its own objectives - which are not reduced to the smallest common denominator of the national interests of which it is composed - with a view to governing its relations with the other main players of globalisation and to contribute to shaping globalisation “according to our interests and values”. In order to be understood on the international scene, it is necessary to “defend common interests, develop strategies and policies, take decisions”, said Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, asserting that the Union is for now ill-equipped to play this new role.
In order to enhance economic Europe at global level, the report recommends the following practical measures: - the creation of a “Lisbon Plus Council”, after the fashion of the Internal Market Council set in place for implementing the Single Act; - and harmonisation of the profile of national Lisbon coordinators, who would be fully devoted to this task and would be directly attached to the heads of state or government of member states.
Finally, the report stresses the need to consolidate the external representation of economic and financial Europe in the multilateral institutions. The Union should also go “from a logic of exemplarity to a logic of interest and regain the pragmatism of its origins”, said Mr Cohen-Tanugi. The author suggests that the European Commission should launch “Euromonde 2015” immediately after the Spring European Council 2010. The report may be consulted at the following address: http: //http://www.travail-solidarite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/rap_europe_mondialisation080415.pdf . (O.L.)