Stockholm, 30/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Swedish EU Presidency to begin on 1 July does not fear that the verdict of the German constitutional court on the Lisbon Treaty (see above) will block or slow down ratification of the new treaty. “My preliminary assessment is that it will not change anything” when it comes to the timetable for ratification or implementation of the treaty, said Carl Bildt, Sweden's Foreign Minister, speaking to a small group of European journalists in Stockholm on Tuesday 30 June. The Court is calling for the role of the European Parliament to be strengthened “and it will be”, he said, stressing that “there is no major dispute on the German political scene about this”. Mr Bildt pointed out that Sweden, also, grants an important role to the Parliament in decision-making procedures on European issues. “It is not necessarily a bad thing” if Germany moves in the same direction now, he commented.
José Manuel Barroso. In the meantime, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who will be president-in-office of the European Council over the next six months, began consultation with the EP political groups on the timetable and procedure to be followed for the vote of approval on the president of the upcoming European Commission. Speaking to journalists visiting Stockholm on Tuesday 30 June, he reiterated his hope that José Manuel Barroso, who has the unanimous support of the 27 EU leaders, will be formally approved by the EP on 15 July. “It is up to the European Parliament to decide (on the timetable) but if the vote cannot take place now, the EU runs the risk of discussing names and persons over coming months rather than getting down to work on dossiers such as climate change or the economic crisis”, said Mr Reinfeldt. It is important to have a strong Commission that can help the presidency on these difficult issues, he stressed. “And there are no other candidates. So what are we waiting for?”, he asked. Mr Reinfeldt will be receiving the leaders of the EP groups in Stockholm on 6 July to hear their positions on this and to take stock.
Other nominations. Mr Reinfeldt also said that, if the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty (likely to be on 2 October) were positive, then the European Council on 29/30 October would also tackle the other nominations required by the new treaty, namely the permanent president of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Policy (who would also be vice-president of the Commission). A “balance” must be found regarding the president of the European Council. There are those who call for a “strong figure” able to act on behalf of the EU, and those who prefer someone whose role would be rather to preside the European Council in close collaboration with the rotating presidency of the sectoral Councils and in close coordination with the president of the European Commission. “Small and medium-sized member states are less interested in a strong leader [of the European Council]. That's what I hear so far”, commented Mr Reinfeldt. A great deal of discussion will therefore be needed this autumn to give a precise definition of the roles and competences of everyone under the Lisbon Treaty, “and especially the role of the prime minister of the country holding rotating presidency”, he explained. At the same time, this debate cannot begin too soon if one wants to avoid giving the Irish the impression that the Lisbon Treaty is already in force. On Tuesday, Carl Bildt reiterated that he was not running for any of the posts to be filled this autumn.
Several High Representatives? Mr Bildt suggests that, because of the “fast increasing demand” on the EU at international level, the future High Representative would need, more than now, to be seconded by special representatives. “There is no way that we can have only one HR to do all of this work. We perhaps might be able to manoeuvre with more EU special representatives”, he said. “Discreet” discussion on the future organisation of EU external action has already been launched in Council, Mr Bildt said. He also intimated that, in future, members of the European Commission could take on these new posts to provide assistance to the High Representative. “If the Irish say yes to the Lisbon Treaty, we shall have a 27-member Commission. But we all know that there are not 27 jobs properly defined in the Commission”. (H.B./transl.jl)