Brussels, 25/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - EPP-ED group MEP Alain Lamassoure, speaking at the Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI) colloquium on Tuesday 24 June, examined the priorities of the incoming French Presidency of the Council of the EU. After highlighting that the energy policy aims were a return to the foundations of European integration, a reference to the pooling of energy resources through the ECSC, which ended in 2003, the UMP MEP said that the only priority which could bring concrete results before the end of the Presidency was immigration. “On the other issues, things are less clear,” he said with regard to the political timetable. Thus, in the area of defence, he linked progress to the taking up of office by the new US administration and to the NATO Summit, due to be held in Strasbourg-Kehl in April 2009, that is, more than two months after the end of the French Presidency. For that reason, “this issue has slipped down the list and will slip further,” Lamassoure predicted, adding, “I'm not worried by this; it's just the political timetable”.
In the area of energy and climate, Lamassoure said that because of “the huge energy uncertainty, it might be impossible to take decisions before the end of the year”. “I would strongly advise against it,” he even added. In agriculture, he noted a reversal of the trend on world markets, but “we can't see far enough to predict the medium-term trend, he said, opining that in these circumstances, “we can discuss, but mustn't draw conclusions too hastily”.
On all these issues, then, the French Presidency would seem condemned to begin work which will have to be completed by others. Lamassoure proposed beginning work in one further area: citizenship. “Everything is going well for economic Europe, but in the Europe of people, of citizens, we are 20 years behind. The people are only considered as annexes to the economic space,” he stated, adding, “Since 1992, no one has given any thought to what European citizenship is”. Thus, he proposes in a report prepared at the request of President Sarkozy, a raft of measures to bring European citizenship alive (see related article).
During the same colloquium, another speaker tried to imagine the broad thrust of a future European security strategy (EUROPE points out that the EU security strategy adopted in 2003 is being reviewed: for detailed information, see our specialist sister publication Europe Diplomacy and Defence.) Professor Jolyon M. Howorth began by stressing the need for the EU to define its strategic relations with the United States. It should also reflect on how to structure its relations with the emerging powers, particularly to allow it to take its place on the world stage. Howorth said that no matter who won the US presidential elections, the Americans would very quickly come along in spring 2009 with “a long list of demands” for Europeans, and now was the time to start preparing the response. While he thought it logical that France should rejoin NATO, he felt, nonetheless, that it would be “dangerous” to allow the United States to manage its relations with Europe through NATO. Hence the need, he said, to find a “new forum” where the EU and the US could work together. He felt, too, that, despite differences which remained (he mentioned in particular enhancing planning capacity, the conduct of EU operations and intelligence), France and the United Kingdom could find a common approach on (1) strategic relations with the United States, (2) crisis management in Africa, (3) crisis resolution in the Middle East and (4) Afghanistan-Pakistan. (O.J./transl.rt)