Strasbourg, 15/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday 15 July, European Liberal Democrat group leader Guy Verhofstadt presented an ALDE memorandum which amounted to a genuine political project for Europe. This memorandum and a letter addressed to the candidate for the post of Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, set five conditions for the support of the Liberal group for the re-appointment of the out-going European Commission President: (1) building a single European recovery plan to tackle the economic crisis; (2) putting in place a European financial supervisor (the text states that the European Systemic Risk Council must have full powers to take binding decisions concerning cross-border financial institutions); (3) introducing EU budgetary plan (2013-2020) based largely on our own independent resources; (4) extending the scope and consistency of European diplomacy (which must go hand in hand with the emergence of a genuine common defence market which strengthens the technological and industrial base of European defence); (5) creating a specific Commissioner's portfolio for fundamental rights and tackling discrimination.
The ALDE group says in the letter that, in this important and turbulent period, it believes that the European Commission must more than ever become once again the driver of the European Union, defend the general European interest and, thus, make full use of its right of initiative. The memorandum states, “We do not need a Europe of projects, but a European project. A political Europe that people can understand, trust and believe in. A Europe that is an international leader in all fields”. What is to be the role of the European Commission? “It must make maximum use of its right of initiative to push integration forwards to deal with the financial and economic crisis, to tackle global warming, to complete the internet market, to defend civil liberties and security, to develop common policies where necessary in areas such as defence and energy, to find common solutions to practical problems affecting citizens in the areas of civil law and cross-border healthcare and to extend solidarity between all states and citizens of the Union.”
When asked about the chances of success of a Commission that retakes the initiative, the former Belgian prime minister said, “What we expect from the Commission is presenting proposals, not reaching 100% of its goals … but it has to put something on the table as (happened in the time of Jacques) Delors. The problem is that, at the moment, there is nothing on the table”. The attitude of the Liberal group will depend on the response Barroso gives to the five priorities, Verhofstadt said, stating that “It is about substance, programme, not a matter of personality”. While critical of the out-going president's “lack of audacity, courage”, he felt that, in the Parliament, there was a “big majority in favour of a new strategy to lift us out of this crisis”. “With 27 different plans, we will never get out of the crisis,” the Liberal group leader added, fearing that Europe would fall into the stagnation that so affected Japan. (O.J./transl.rt)