Revival or risky standstill?” “

In a problematic phase of reflection on the future of the European Community as a whole – Constitution, identity, frontiers and budget – the spring European Council, traditionally dedicated to economic issues, could provide an occasion to revive the EU or bring it to a new and risky standstill. For this reason all eyes are fixed on the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, seat of the European Council, where the heads of State and of government of the member states and candidates states will meet on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 March. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. “The spring Council represents a great opportunity”, declared JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO, President of the Commission. In preparation for the summit he has sent a letter to the Austrian Presidency of the European Council and to other European political leaders. The letter reviews the annual Report on progress made in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy (economic competitiveness, creation of new and “high quality” jobs, education, research, innovation, social cohesion), presented by the Executive in January. This strategy, formulated in 2000 to turn Europe into “the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010”, had been re-designed during the spring summit in 2005. Barroso reminds governments of four priorities: first, “greater investments are needed in education and research”; second, the red tape that hampers small and medium-sized businesses needs to be eliminated; third, “employment for people of every age needs to be promoted”; and fourth, a common course of action needs to be undertaken aimed at “sustainable, competitive and secure energy”. “In a globalized world – Barroso adds – fragmented national measures can never substitute the European dimension, which is essential for a modern economy”. The time has come to “show we are translating our political objectives into concrete actions”. YOUTH: A JOB WITHIN SIX MONTHS. In the field of research, the Commission insists that member states increase their investments until they reach “the common objective of 3% of GDP by 2010”. Barroso reaffirmed his conviction that now is the right time to launch the European Institute for Technology by the end of next year to support innovation. The chapter of the Report devoted to businesses insisted on the need for a series of provisions aimed at “freeing their potential” and cutting red tape. The Report also called for the establishment of “business management courses as part of the school curriculum for all pupils”. As far as job creation is concerned, the Barroso Commission is prolific in ideas: “To increase the employment rate and fund the pensions and healthcare of an ageing population, member states ought to adopt the concept that training for employment should last for the duration of life”. “A job, an apprenticeship or supplementary training should be offered to each youth who fails to find work after leaving school or university, within a period of six months by the end of 2007 and 100 days by 2010”. Further, at the social and familial level, there’s a need for “inexpensive and high quality child-care infrastructures”, “greater equality between the sexes on the workplace”, and “the right balance between profession and private life”. Almost a book of dreams… THE PROBLEM OF ENERGY SOURCES. Particularly risky is the energy chapter in the Report, especially after the recent spate of company mergers and protectionist provisions in the sector, affecting Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium. The Report that the Commission will submit to the summit urges the need (as also underlined by the recent Green Paper on energy sources) to “tackle the challenges posed by the continuous rise in the prices of petrol and gas and the need drastically to reduce pollution”. In this regard, a precise message is addressed to EU leaders: “Energy is a global problem that requires a European response”. To this end, EU member states need to: “better coordinate their systems of electricity grids and gas-pipe networks”; “efficiently regulate energy markets and boost competition”; provide stiffened tax burdens to promote the use of sustainable energy and increase research on renewable sources”. Lastly, “Europe must speak with a single voice in negotiations with foreign suppliers, which are supplying us with energy in ever greater quantities”. BUDGET, EXTERNAL POLICY. Other burning issues could emerge during the summit, such as: the Services Directive, after the compromise reached in the European Parliament; the Financial Perspectives 2007-2013, which still await final agreement; and some problems of international policy, including the recent elections in Belarus and the situation in the Middle East. Euro-Mediterranean policy will also be discussed, in view of the session of the Euromed Parliamentary Assembly on 26-27 March.