Together in the same direction” “

The European Parliament or “mister no”: In its plenary session in Strasbourg, held between 16 and 19 January, the EP made its own voice heard by rejecting three EU policy initiatives of various nature and importance, and especially by expressing its determination to maintain a far from subordinate position among the institutions of the 25. MEASURES REJECTED OR PASSED. The first measure to be rejected by the EP was a resolution on citizenship, which was supposed to lay the foundations “for a better coordination of the criteria and procedures for the acquisition of citizenship”. It proposed, among other things, that the citizens of third countries, who are regular immigrants and resident in the EU for at least five years, should enjoy the right to vote in municipal and European elections. Also rejected was the directive on port services, which had been preceded on Monday 16 January by a violent protest of the dockers of various countries, worried about their jobs and safety on the workplace. The third measure to be voted down was the agreement reached by the heads of state and of government on the plurennial budget last December. But the EP also adopted a report aimed at combating the trafficking in human beings, with particular regard for women and children. It also reached a common position against homophobia (“discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited”). The Parliament then discussed the report signed by the MEPs Andrew Duff (UK) and Johannes Voggenhuber (Austria) on the “period of reflection” regarding the Constitution (cf. the preview in SirEurope, no. 88/2005). “RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN CITIZENS”. During its plenary, the Parliament was addressed by Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, who assumed the revolving Presidency of the EU Council at the start of the year and outlined his programme of work for the next six months. “We are all in the same boat, we must pull together and move in the same direction”, declared Schüssel. He began by listing the problems that beset the EU in this phase: “the double no to the Constitution expressed by France and Holland, concerns about enlargement, terrorism and, more recently, bird flu, the energy question, and the danger of Iranian rearmament. All this tells us that we need more Europe”, not less. “But we must start out from the confidence of citizens – explained the chancellor – and to do so, we need to address some urgent questions: security, employment, for which we will seek shared solutions at the spring summit; the re-launch of the economy, on which depend not only jobs but also overall prosperity, social cohesion and the availability of resources to modernise the EU”. EconomY, RESEARCH AND IDENTITY. “With a gross domestic product of one or two percent we won’t get far, we won’t create new jobs, we won’t satisfy the needs of citizens. For this reason, too, we need to revive the economy”. Wolfgang Schüssel explained in his speech that “Europe has a need for greater resources, of more money for growth. We need to invest in research, education and infrastructures”. Lastly Schüssel explained that “we cannot ignore other strategic issues for the Union: the question of identity and the definition of the frontiers; the re-launch of the Constitution; a reflection on the European social model; and lastly our opening to the world”. In these sectors too Schüssel pledged his government and the Presidency of the European Council. He received “full backing” and “concrete support” from the President of the Commission, Josè Manuel Barroso“. NEW MARATHON ON THE BUDGET. Immediately after Schüssel had set forth his programme for the Austrian semester, the thorny question of the budget was addressed. The EP made known its position on the Financial Perspectives, for which an accord between Council and Parliament is needed. With 541 votes in favour, 56 against and 76 abstentions, the MEPs adopted a resolution in which they rejected “in its current formulation” the accord on the plurennial budget which had been reached at the European Council in December. It “does not guarantee a budget that would reinforce prosperity, competitiveness, solidarity, cohesion and security”. According to the EP, “this budget fails to honour the pledges made to the new member states” and contains an “unacceptable reduction of funds allocated to competitiveness, growth and employment”. Negative judgements were also expressed about the cuts to funds for programmes concerning citizenship, civil liberties, security and justice, and external actions. In spite of all this, the Parliament reaffirmed its willingness to “start constructive negotiations with the Council”. It will now be up to the Budget Commission of the EP to negotiate a deal with the Council: the next meeting is fixed for 23 January, a meeting between the troika of the Presidents of Commission, Council and Parliament. The question will then pass to the meeting of ambassadors (Coreper) on 25 January, following which the Commission will then propose a new draft agreement on the EU budget on 1st February. If there are no further spanners in the works, the Financial Perspectives 2007/2013 could be finally signed and delivered at the Council in late March.