Responding to citizens

There are key-passages in the history of European integration whereby those in charge of Community institutions extend their glance to citizens and to national leaders, appealing to shared responsibilities for EU populations. The European Council of June 23-24 – that focuses on two key-issues, economic governance and migrations, seems to be one of these. On the eve of the summit, the Hungarian Secretary of State Eniko Gyori, addressing the plenary assembly of the European Parliament said, “Citizens expect that concrete results are delivered from the EU, regardless of the distinctions of roles” between the Council, Commission, Parliament or national governments, inviting the three institutional pillars of the Community and its States to undertake concerted action on the items on the agenda. Making a contribution to the plenary debate of June 22 Commission president José Manuel Barroso, said: “Greece is living an emergency situation”. “There is no alternative” to the reform package proposed by the troika (EU, ECB, IMF). “The reform package” “is important for Greece and for the stability of the European Union as a whole”, Barroso pointed out. “It is critically important to reduce debt and to control the deficit that we can promote growth. It is our primary target”. The head of the Executive acknowledged the plan’s “strict conditionality”, but he said he is optimistic, given the Greek Parliament’s endorsement of the reform package submitted by Papandreu’s government. “We are aware that the plan calls for exceptional efforts from the Greek people”, “but at this stage a national consensus is urgently needed”. He added: “In case of failure, it will be hard to explain to citizens that we haven’t been able to reach an agreement” providing efficient solutions. A further reference to “concerted decisions, to the founding values of integration along with the common responsibility towards EU citizens came the very same day with a statement by Cecilia Malmstrom. The Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs said: “the European asylum system must be based on solidarity and shared responsibility”. The Swedish Commissioner underlined that “solidarity, tolerance, and mutual respect, have been cherished and protected in the EU for more than half a century”. “I am therefore saddened and concerned to see that these values risk losing respect and support” around Europe. “In recent years, we have witnessed growing support for populist movements and far-right political parties in the EU – Malmstrom denounced- In my areas of responsibility I can see that xenophobia is on the rise”. The Commissioner thus urged Heads of Government and State “to show European leadership in this difficult moment”. “I urge them to confirm – the Commissioner added, after having recalled the situation of refugees coming to Europe, mostly from African countries – that we are serious when we say that we are open to helping them on the path to democracy and economic progress”.