Without pointing our fingers

“Given the resistance of the United Kingdom, another road has been chosen” to “define the future of the euro currency”. It will be a “long” journey, founded on “the broad agreement” of all 17 countries that adopt the single currency and of 9 “future member states” of Euro-land. The President of the European Council Herman Van Rompu, underlined the decisions taken in last week’s summit during the European Parliament plenary meeting in Strasbourg (December 12-15).Rigor and growth. The Parliament Assembly turned into a forum for debate on the euro currency, governance, rigor, “fiscal strategy” and growth. In their statements, Van Rompuy and EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso addressed the outcomes of the summit, delving into the details of the agreement. “Our union cannot be grounded only on budgetary discipline and rigor – Barroso told MEPs -. We also need employment and growth”. That was enough for some political leaders and journalists to conclude that the head of the Executive intended to question the summit decisions. In point of fact Barroso was referring to a set of issues, yet unnoticed, regarding the last European Council.“Irreversible” euro. The name of David Cameron, British Premier, the only whose signature was not affixed on the summit’s final document, sparking off polemics in his home country, was mentioned several times. Joseph Daul, leader of the EPP Group, said: “If the United Kingdom believes that the EU is just a free trade area then the UK is wrong”. Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberal-democrats, was greeted with hilarity when he said: “I usually speak in English before this assembly. I won’t today. Instead, I will speak my mother tongue” Dutch. “There is no need to speak in English…” He then said: “The meeting of the heads of Government and State addressed budgetary discipline but overlooked the theme of solidarity. Without solidarity, there can be no progress in Europe”. Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist and Democrat group, the most probable president of the Assembly starting next January, underlined: “Great Britain doesn’t want financial market regulations. But we all know that today we need a market that is regulated by democracy”. Conservatives and euro-skeptics defended the positions taken by London, while Barroso remarked: “In our commitment we were always convinced of the irreversible feature of the single currency, which needs budget discipline, clear rules and investments” to revive real economy along with “true, shared governance”. The decision to follow a “budgetary agreement”, he said, goes “in that direction”.“Choosing Europe”. An interesting position was advanced by Polish premier Donald Tusk, who joined the Assembly on December 14 to close the EU presidency-in-office assumed by his country in the second semester of 2011. “Today we have to openly admit that we’re at a crossroads. A very serious decision lies before us: to decide the ways and means to exit the crisis as a community, or undertake the road of national egoisms, whereby the EU is considered a burden, and not the best possible solution” to overcome the present standstill, respecting the interests “of European citizens”. Tusk continued with some emphatic passages: “Europe needs a collective conscience examination. We can’t point our fingers” at who’s right and who’s wrong, at the cause of the problems or at those responsible for the stability of the euro area. Instead, “there is the need for joint responsibility for our future. Northern Europe, which proudly underlines its own budgetary discipline, must start to learn more about the principle of solidarity. Southern Europe has to understand that shared responsibility also amounts to greater discipline”.Rules, leadership. Tusk thus openly attacked euro-skeptic positions and “national egoisms”. “When in Europe we are told that we need to reconsider the foundations of the Community, it is a sign emphasizing that the crisis is in our hearts, and not only in our banks”. “I feel no satisfaction – added the premier – in knowing that the English Channel is wider than it was two weeks ago”. Tusk said he prefers an approach based on stronger regulations, political leadership and economic cooperation. “We are in favour of integration. We are against a division between the best and the worst. We advocate Europe’s strong political unity. We are in favour of shared responsibility, and against egoistic irresponsibility”. Finally, the head of the government in Warsaw invited to close ranks so as to overcome the current meandering integration stage. Barroso remarked: “In the past months Poland has shown that the best way to defend national interests is to build a strong, united Europe”.