European Parliament" "
The “State of the Union” according to President Prodi Completing enlargement, pursuing political stability with appropriate institutional reform, and favouring sustainable economic growth: that is the gist of the programme announced by Romano Prodi in Strasbourg on 18 November. But he added that the EU must immediately tackle the numerous obstacles that stand in the way of integration. Nor did the President of the Commission ignore the criticisms that have been showered on him by the European Parliament. Parliament is divided, Babel at Strasbourg. The words of the leader of the People’s Party group, Hans Gert Pöttering, resounded in the debating chamber of Strasbourg on Tuesday 18 November. He accused Prodi with the publication of his “Manifesto for Europe” of conducting a national political campaign. From all the political groups in the EP came the call to the Commission President to clarify his position: if he is to stand as a candidate in Italy for the European elections in June 2004, Prodi will have to leave the Commission several months ahead of the expiry of his term of office (October 2004). A competitive economy, but with a human face. But, rising above the controversies (also on the Eurostat scandal) that are dogging the EU, Prodi reviewed the “State of the Union”, and spelt out the Commission’s programme of work for 2004, the last of his term of office. “In a few years’ time the EU could comprise 28 member states with roughly half a billion citizens and have a new constitutional system”. In this context and “in preparing the future explained the number one in Brussels policies must have primacy, because before taking in hand our accounts we must decide how we want the global framework of the Union’s policies to be”. At this point Prodi declared: “We must keep our gaze fixed on our objectives, that is, peace, sustainable development, solidarity and freedom”. In concrete, explained the President of the Commission, “that means working in various directions: in the first place a road map for the Lisbon and Göteborg agenda, for a competitive, cohesive and humanly rich Union. That is the backbone of economic integration in the years to come”. Foreign policy: “a circle of friendly nations”. The EU therefore needs to develop “solidarity between countries and regions, to help those who are lagging behind not to remain on the margins of the process of growth and to base our resources on how much is needed for everyone to grow together”. This observation is a foretaste of the difficulties that will be encountered in integrating the economies of the new members with the Community, on average more backward than those of the Fifteen. Prodi also insisted on the theme of “European citizenship, in a space that has developed from a mere market to a political area of freedom, justice and security”. Lastly, the President stressed the importance of the Union’s foreign policy, which he himself defined as “the eternal dimension of our model and of our political choices”. On behalf of the whole Commission, Prodi indicated the path of the reinforcement of collaboration with EU’s neighbouring states by “constructing a circle of friendly nations” through a policy of sharing problems and a common battle for democratic governance, development, and the fight against poverty and exclusion”. A delicate phase for the Union. The legislative programme of the Commission coincides with a delicate phase in EU development: enlargement looms on the horizon; the intergovernmental conference is proceeding amid great difficulties: the European Parliament has severely reprimanded the revolving Presidency of the Council (now assigned to Italy and Silvio Berlusconi) for not having called on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to show respect for democracy and human rights in Chechnya. And both Commission and EP are attacking Ecofin (economic and financial ministers) on respect for budgetary powers. It’s “everyone against everyone” of a kind never registered in Community Europe before.
