Europe: declining yet necessary

“We must finally realize that all of us are the European Union: all citizens, and all policymakers. We may criticize it, we may expect more, but we also have to acknowledge its needs. It is a question of rethinking it on these grounds, keeping in line with the initial project and adapt it to the new challenges”. Sylvie Goulard, French MEP, is renowned for her economic and juridical skills, as a former advisor for the European Commission. She authored acclaimed articles and books on the responses to the crisis which impacts everyday life, policy-making, and cohesion in the EU. She commented on the outcomes on the recent summit and the activity of the European Assembly with Gianni Borsa for SIR Europe, and expressed her views on the EP’s 2014 elections. The “social dimension” of the crisis, notably youth employment, was one of the items tabled for discussion during the European Council of the end of June. What do you thinks of the outcomes to this regard? “The Summit of Heads of Government and State has made a step forward, as it has finally become clear that the problems of unemployment and ‘crisis’ aren’t only to be addressed in terms of government spending and sovereign debts. Having said this, the summit always entails certain risks…” What kind of risk?”That of witnessing resounding declarations that remain on paper. Let it suffice to think of the European Council of June 2012, when it was decided to create a 120 bln Employment and Growth Pact. Very small amounts of those funds have been allocated since then. And I wish to add a question mark hovering over the European Council”. Please do.”The truth is that none of us, except for those present, knows how decisions are taken, whether there have been compromises and which reasons prevailed. We must say no to a Europe that resembles a club of Heads of Government and State that meet every now and then, without informing citizens about their respective responsibilities, while in press conferences they provide differing briefings of the events, ascribing to themselves all the merits to impress the public opinions of their respective home countries, shifting the blame to other leaders or to European institutions”. Yours is a severe judgement. Nonetheless, the summit of June 27-28 raised the funds for youth employment to 8 million euros, and adopted the agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020…”Indeed, the urgent theme of employment is at the top of the agenda. But which percentage of those funds will truly be apportioned, seen that they depend on the definitive green light to the MMF? It will also be necessary to monitor how the funding is used. It should also be said that not everything to this regard falls within the specific province of the EU, while young people often have to pay the dues of structural delays at national level, notably in the areas of education and training. What is your opinion of the MFF?”It’s a serious, collective failure for the EU, for at least three reasons. First of all, it isn’t an extraordinary budget, given the ongoing crisis and the need for effective answers. In fact, the overall allocated sum is even less that it was in the past. Second, the MFF appears to fail to keep into due consideration the new responsibilities of the EU stipulated in the Treaty of Lisbon. Finally. the question of ‘own resources’, raised by the European Parliament has been totally disregarded. This means that Community budget will continue depending on national resources. Let’s be honest: with this budget it’s impossible to go on. I abstained in the vote on the resolution during the plenary and I firmly believe that in September the European Parliament should say no to such a MFF”. Banking Union, powers of the European Central Bank, Economic and monetary Union. Is progress being made to this regard? “There appears to be some progress as relates to the single supervisory mechanism of the credit system, now in the hands of the future ECB. But there still is a long way to go, and most of all, however necessary, these measures can’t provide citizens with an overall vision of their future”. In less than a year Europeans will be called to the polls to elect the Parliament in Strasbourg. Do think that citizens will go to the polls? “Abstensionism has thrived on the lack of interest for Europe in political realms. It’s the job of political Parties to select high-level candidates and carry out serious electoral campaigns. It will also be necessary to bear in mind the anti-europeanit tsunami that is taking shape in many countries. I fear that abstention and protest votes are caused by the crisis and by the fact that very few political parties are capable of assuming their political responsibilities”.