Economy, policy and history

With its marathon vote last week, during the plenary in Strasbourg, the European Parliament gave the go ahead to the EU general budget for 2008. The document fixes the overall level of expenditures at 120.3 billion euros (0.96% of European gross domestic product). It confirms more funds for development and growth (even if MEPs would have liked greater allocations), for external policy and aid (Kosovo, Palestine, World Fund for the fight against AIDS), for the control of external frontiers and for the realization of the European Institute of Technology. THE MONEY OF THE EUROPEANS. The budgetary procedure is one of the most complex at the EU institutional level. Commission, Parliament and Council each play a role in it, but the real budgetary authorities are the latter two, which must reach, through long negotiations, agreement by December each year. Two thirds of the common budget is supported by the contributions of member states, on the basis of their national income; the rest is funded by the EU’s own resources (external duties, VAT). The Union “costs” approximately 240 euros for each European citizen: the money is used to fund new infrastructures, support the economy (from small and medium businesses to international competition), help the less developed regions of the Union, defend the rural environment and nature, promote higher education (for example with the Erasmus project), research and culture, protect consumers and fight terrorism. DEFENCE OF THE FRONTIERS AND COMPETITIVENESS. In the budget report, drawn up by the Finnish MEP Kyösti VIRRANKOSKI , some items of expenditure assume growing importance, beginning with the sector of freedom, security and justice, to which 533 millions are allocated. The Parliament in this case, underlined “the importance of the activities of the Frontex agency”, maintaining it “should play a more effective role in the reinforcement of the Union’s external frontiers”. Virrankoski explained the thinking behind the budget, which for the first time dedicates more resources to competitiveness and growth than to agriculture; each of these two items absorbs over 40% of the available resources. The rest of the funds is absorbed by EU programmes for “external policy” (including humanitarian aid), for promoting the sense of citizenship and for administrative and real-estate costs (roughly 5% of the total). Montenegro, FIRST STEP TOWARDS MEMBERSHIP. In its session at Strasbourg, the EP also voted for the conclusion of an association agreement with Montenegro. The “association” is aimed at helping the country “to consolidate democracy and the rule of law”; to boost political and institutional stabilization; to complete the transition to a market economy; and to “promote cooperation” with other Balkan states. It represents a first step in rapprochement between the EU and the little Balkan republic. But, according to the EP, much “progress still remains to be made” in various fields: independence of the judiciary, crackdown on corruption, organized crime, the trafficking of human beings, and the black-market trade in arms, cigarettes and drugs. Commending the “adoption of a new Constitution by the Montenegran Parliament”, the European Parliament expressed the view that it “offers sufficient guarantees to national minorities”. But measures still need to be taken to ensure press freedom. “CULTIVATING” COMMUNITY HISTORY. Meanwhile the project for a “Home of European History” is gaining ground in Brussels and Strasbourg. Launched by the President of the EP, it is aimed at giving fresh impulse to the historical, cultural and spiritual dimension of the Union, focusing in particular on the process of European integration over the last fifty years. EP President Hans-Gert Poettering had explained during his inaugural speech on 13 February 2007: “I would like to promote a place of memory and of the future in which the idea of Europe may further grow. I would like to propose the creation of a Home of European History, which ought not to become a boring and antiseptic museum, but a place that may foster our memory of history” and be “open to the further formation of the identity of Europe”. The idea is beginning to take on flesh: the European Parliament has now approved the setting up of a committee of experts, composed of eight university professors and museum directors of various nations. This Committee (composed of the Polish Wlodzimierz Borodzjei, the Italian Giorgio Cracco, the Belgian Michel Dumuolin, the English Timothy Garton Ash, the German Walter Hutter, the French Marie-Hélène Joly, the Finnish Matti Klinge and the Dutch Ronald de Leeuw) will begin its work in January and should report back to the EP by June 2008, with a detailed project for the Home of European History (contents, objectives, instruments, budget), which would then be established during the following legislature.