Building confidence

“Europe is the construction of a supra-national democracy; new experience, but dangerous exercise… Stepping up cooperation between the European Parliament and the national parliaments means advancing continental democracy”. On the eve of the Parliamentary Forum on the “Future of Europe”, held on 8-9 May, the President of the EP, JOSEP BORRELL , placed the emphasis on the debate that would bring together 250 Europeans MPs from the 25 member states and candidate states in the debating chamber of the EP in Brussels for a concerted reflection on the current problems that are dogging EU integration and on possible actions to revive the process. DEBATE ON FOUR THEMES. The meeting had been planned in the framework of Plan D (democracy, dialogue, debate), devised to give substance to the “pause for reflection” on the ratification of the Constitution following its rejection by citizens in France and Holland a year ago, as called for by the heads of state and of government in June 2005. Four main themes were discussed at the Forum: “Europe in the world and its frontiers; globalization and European economic and social model; liberty, security and justice; and the financial resources of the EU”. The results of the Forum, jointly promoted by the European and Austrian Parliament (Austria holds the rotating Presidency of the European Council), will now be submitted “to the reflections of the summit in June, which will have to draw the preliminary conclusions on the pause for reflection”. “During these two days, none of the speakers said that the Constitution is superfluous or that we can do without it – explained ANDREAS KHOL , President of the Austrian Parliament -. On the contrary, we leave this meeting with the conviction that the entry into force of the Constitutional Treaty would reinforce the progress of the European Community”. “CLEAR RESPONSES TO CITIZENS”. “Just today – explained Borrell, in his closing address to the Forum – the Parliament of Estonia has approved the European Constitution: so that the states that have ratified the Treaty now rise to 15, and its expected ratification by Finland should come very shortly”. “This is not the time for a rewriting, even if only partial, of the Constitution – maintained WOLFGANG SCHÜSSEL , Austrian Chancellor and current President of the European Council -. We ought, instead, to clarify the problems posed to integration, tackle the gap between citizens and institutions, and carry out those reforms that would make our institutions more effective”. According to Schüssel, “citizens await clear and effective responses. For example, as regards possible new enlargements, we must be able to say how far the Union should extend and, above all, how far its capacity to absorb new states can reach”. “After this pause for reflection – added the Austrian Chancellor -, we could, between the end of 2007 and the start of 2008, really decide how to proceed to achieve the ratification and entry into force of the Constitution”. During the Forum, numerous interventions by MPs of the member states stressed the problems of the financial resources of the EU, cultural identity, energy market, immigration, and the entry of the Balkan countries into the Community. THE CONSTITUTION AND EXTRA TIME. “Only by obtaining concrete results can we ensure that citizens regain confidence in Europe and create the prerequisites for an institutional solution” to the current impasse of the EU. The Commission, led by JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO , awaited the conclusion of the Forum on the “Future of Europe” before presenting its own “political agenda for citizens”, conceived “as a contribution of the Executive to the summit in June” and as a “response to the messages that emerged from Plan D and from the national debates”, of which “there have been over a hundred so far”. Flanked by Vice-President MARGOT WALLSTRÖM , Barroso explained in his speech in the Palais Berlaymont on 10 May: “This ambitious agenda requires a concerted action of the member states, which often don’t sufficiently commit themselves to Europe, and of the EU institutions, as well as a renewed commitment to integration”. The Commission’s document defines twelve “initiatives to obtain concrete results at the continental level”. The proposals are aimed in particular at: “Re-examining the single market in a long-term perspective; reinforcing solidarity; and creating a series of initiatives to improve the information and transparency of the institutions”, including the introduction of a “charter of rights” for all EU citizens. At the institutional level, the Commission had advanced the idea that “the leaders of the 25 adopt a new declaration” for political integration, if possible in 2007, fifty years exactly after the signing of the founding Treaties of the European Community. And what about the Constitution? “We cannot now decide what to do – replied Barroso -. We must go into extra time. What’s needed is a shared decision that would permit ratification by all member states”.