The courage to decide

“In Europe we have to find the courage to decide”, while “there still are ambiguities” related to the Lisbon Treaty. Nicole Fontaine isn’t indulgent with the EU, although she defines herself “a convinced European”. In her opinion, the recent stands of the 27 Government and State leaders “don’t help solve the ever-present questions: do we only want a common market or do we want a construction based on solidarity? Must national egoism prevail in the EU or should higher common interests?”. Ms. Fontaine is a French Jurist, among the founders of the Ump (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, the party of President Nicolas Sarkozy), she was elected MEP in the mid 1980s. From 1999 to 2002 she chaired the Assembly. She inaugurated the present seat in Strasbourg. She then returned to Paris as Industry Minister. Since 2004 she sits at the EU-Parliament with the Popular Party members. Her booklet on “The Lisbon Treaty” was issued these past few days”.2007 was the year of Lisbon and of the Reform Treaty. What is your opinion of the new Community? “I also view this past year as the year of recovery after the stop to integration due to the failure of the Constitution. We must however admit that October’s European Council meeting in Lisbon reached only one important objective: to give new impetus to our common institutions. Although we haven’t yet recovered from the chock caused by the French and Dutch Constitution referendum and the citizens are still distant from the EU. The new Treaty accomplishes significant political results: it creates the figure of the permanent Council President, it confers greater power to the Parliament, it increases the sectors subject to majority vote, limiting States’ veto power. But this doesn’t give a soul to Europe”.So which road should we undertake?“We have to start reconsidering what kind of integration we want to implement and if, in order to do so, we’re willing to hand over to the EU parts of our sovereignty. The fact of having put aside the Constitution to the benefit of treaties’ revision is a sign in this direction. It was also detrimental to reject an article defining the symbols of the Union and separate the Charter of Fundamental Rights from the Treaty, since a later clause defined its binding character.”.Looking at the future, 2008 will be the year of national ratifications. Will there be any surprise? “I don’t believe there will, since all Countries will be following parliamentary procedures. The sole exception is Ireland, since for constitutional reasons it has to undergo popular voting. However, bad surprises aren’t expected. There’s another issue: I hope that public debate on the document won’t be eliminated since its approval is administered by National Assemblies. It would be detrimental, because in this way citizens would be kept at a distance from a fundamental institutional procedure”.We return to the “gap” separating EU corridors of power from European citizens…“Yes, this danger does exist. Also because Community Europe has always had a communication problem. It does bear its fruits, but it hardly manages to show the direct or indirect advantages of single Countries’ participation in the common home. We have to learn to perfect the way in which we convey the content of legislation and policies envisaged within the EU offices. This is why the priorities identified by the next French presidency follow a concrete approach: migration, security, defense and energy”. As relates to concrete problems, Slovenian Presidency-in-Office included in its programmatic objectives, the question of Kosovo’s future status. Will it be possible to ensure peace and stability in the region? “The situation was already thorny in 1999: as a matter of fact my first trip abroad as Euro-Parliament president was in Pristina. This issue needs to be solved since it involves everyone’s security. Europe has major responsibilities in the Balkan area: during the 1990s war not enough was done and now we can’t repeat the same mistakes. The same can be said for the Middle East. This is why we need a strong common policy”. 2008 is also the year of intercultural dialogue. Can something useful for European integration come out of it? “I respect what Syria’s Great Mufti said in addressing the Euro-MPs sitting in Strasbourg in mid January: there is just one civilization on earth, since we are all creatures of the same God. There are however many cultures, traditions and religions: we have the task to bring them together and make them talk to one another. Mutual knowledge, tolerance and respect lead to peace. This theme recurs and is present in all regions”.