EU agenda, problems ” “don’t go on vacation

Time for summer vacation in almost all countries of the Old Continent, but the problems the European Union has to face are not going on vacation and will still be there,with the resumption of activity the end of August. The president-elect of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, confirmed to the post by EU Council and Parliament, knows something about this. He will take office on 1 November only on the condition of having set up in the meantime a team of commissioners (each of whom designated by the member States) that successfully managed to obtain the final endorsement of the Strasbourg hemicycle during the plenary session of October 20 to 23. The Luxembourg politician is negotiating behind the scenes with the chancelleries to ensure the presence of top-level candidates in the college, and for the effective and equitable distribution of powers, including the most coveted position of High Representative for Foreign Policy (who will also serve as Executive vice-President) and of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs. But generally, even budgetary responsibilities, regional policy, justice, trade, internal market and competition are highly considered. In the meantime European Council and Commission outgoing presidents have tough nuts to crack. The first, José Manuel Barroso, is working on his State of the Union address to be delivered before MEPs in Strasbourg during the plenary of 15-18 September. After ten difficult years in the Berlaymont Building, marked by the economic crisis and attempts to provide responses on a European scale, the Portuguese president would rather leave the stage with the proper recognition for what has been done in a very difficult situation, having to deal with a constant attitude of restraint by almost all governments of EU28. In fact, even at the worst moments of the recession all States have tried to play their own games for their own ends, prioritizing domestic problems rather than searching for common responses to the challenges that affected the entire Continent. The second, Belgian Herman Van Rompuy, has to cope with a number of dossiers that will keep him busy until his last day in office, fixed for November 30. These include the appointment of his own successor and that of the High Representative, the expected further steps to strengthen economic governance and the launch of Banking Union, the concretization of the decisions for economic reforms and for the promotion of growth and jobs (starting with the Youth Guarantee). From this perspective, the meetings of the European Council of 30 August and on 23 to 24 October next are bound to be rather challenging. It will then be up to the three main EU institutions – Parliament, Council and Commission – jointly with the Italian presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, to define a minimum common position with respect to the countless situations of conflict and tension ongoing across the common borders. Indeed, a European foreign policy does not yet exist because of the right of veto that the States don’t intend to give up. But it is equally sacrosanct to expect from the EU – “Power of Peace” – a clear word and consequent political and diplomatic action with regard to Ukraine, Syria, the Middle East, Libya, Egypt, Iraq… The open fronts are endless, just as endless has seemed so far the inability to take a firm stand, perhaps in agreement with the UN, NATO and the United States, directly aimed at re-establishing the conditions for a lasting peace, without renouncing to provide immediate humanitarian aid followed by appropriation of funds for long term reconstruction. It is equally important not to underestimate other “hot” issues in the integration process such as response to mass migration; the 2015 budget and the allocations of funds under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020; the review of the same budget, so that it may be increasingly less dependent on the moods of EU member states, thereby ensuring European “own resources”, which Parliament has been demanding for years along with new forms of active participation of citizens in the life of the institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg, in order to make the Union an authentically democratic and transparent “common home” (in this sense, the Citizens’ Initiative, enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon, could be a valuable tool provided the voices of the people themselves are actually heard at institutional level. The case of the “One of Us” initiative has left a trail of problems yet to be solved). Appointments (thus leaders), economy and employment, EU-State-citizens relations, foreign policy and budget: in all likelihood, once back from vacations, these items will still be high on the Community agenda.