Qualifying points

“With the compromise in Brussels Europe has rediscovered a common basis”: ANGELA MERKEL , who chaired the EU Council in the first half of 2007, seems satisfied with the work performed under her Presidency. At the head of the Twenty-Seven she succeeded in placing the questions of energy and climate change at the centre of attention of the European Union (spring summit) and of the G8. She celebrated in grand style the 50th anniversary of the EEC Treaties (25 March); but, above all, she thinks she has re-opened the road of integration, after the impasse created by the French and Dutch rejection of the Constitution. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE TREATY. The occasion for reviewing the German Presidency was offered to Angela Merkel by the European Parliament. Meeting in extraordinary session in Brussels on 27 June, the Assembly greeted the address of the German Chancellor on the results of the summit of 21-22 June with a standing ovation. Merkel recalled “the difficult point of departure” of the negotiations, the opposing positions of the states that “had already ratified the Constitution and those that had no intention of doing so”, and the risk “of a failure with consequences difficult to predict” for the Community. “The agreement reached however maintains intact the substance of the Constitutional Treaty”. It gives the go ahead to an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to formulate a “reform treaty”, which could be ready, as everyone hopes, in time for the European elections in 2009″. Merkel said she regretted the renunciation of the symbols of the EU, but then listed the results of the negotiations. In her view, there are three “qualifying points” of the mandate given to the IGC: “The EU will have juridical personality; the majority vote will be extended; and the cohesion of the Union in foreign policy will be reinforced”. EXPLAINING THE COMPROMISE TO CITIZENS. According to Merkel, “with the reform treaty the social dimension of the EU will be reinforced and the binding value of the Charter of Fundamental Rights recognized”, with the exception of the opt-out conceded to the UK “in respect for its specific legal system”. She then declared her opposition to a “two speed” Europe: “Only by acting together shall we maintain faith in the Community project” and guarantee the rights and interests of citizens. The President of the Commission, JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO , also judges positively the outcome of the summit and recognises the great skills of mediation and determination shown by the head of the German government. The Portuguese politician said he was “very satisfied” by the accord signed by EU leaders for the convening of the IGC, “the extension of the majority vote, which will give more efficiency to the EU, and “the reinforcement of internal democracy, thanks to the greater powers given to the European Parliament and to national parliaments”. Barroso pointed out, however, that “the compromise reached and the reasons why EU has a need” for the reforms indicated by the summit will have to be explained to citizens”. “AN ELOQUENT ACHIEVEMENT”. Mrs Merkel was applauded at the European Parliament, even though disaffected voices are not lacking (the criticisms come from opposing fronts: from the diehard wing of the Federalists on the one hand, and from the “eurosceptics” on the other). JOSEPH DAUL , French MEP and head of the EEP group in Strasbourg, argues on the other hand that, thanks to the German Presidency, “the EU had a tiger in its tank”, paying tribute to Merkel’s diplomatic flair. “The achievement of the German semester is eloquent – he says – and its successes have changed the atmosphere of the Union”. Daul however expressed his regret for the “failure to reach agreement on the European symbols” and the downgrading of the proposed EU “foreign minister”: the post will retain its former title of High Representative, with limited powers. According to German Social-Democratic leader MARTIN SCHULZ the German Presidency “was an exemplary success”. Commenting on the June summit, Schulz thanked “those who, like Italian premier Romano Prodi and Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker, defended the European cause”; he also noted that “it’s not the Polish people that is contrary to Europe, but its government”. THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PARLIAMENT. English MEP GRAHAM WATSON , head of the Liberal-Democrat group, congratulated Angela Merkel for “her action on the question of energy security” and for the conclusions of the summit that gave the go ahead to the IGC, in spite of the fact there were those “who wanted to bury the treaty”. “Who would have thought some months ago – explains Watson – that European leaders would have recognized the need for common action in the field of energy, climate change, external policy, or that they would have renounced unanimity in Council in favour of the qualified majority vote in 36 new fields?”. The EP in the meantime has defined the calendar with which it will make its own contribution to the “baptism” of the IGC. Due to open on 23 July, its job will be to define the “reform treaty”. The EP’s Commission for Constitutional Affairs is preparing a report, assigned to German MEP Jo Leinen, which will be put to the vote in commission in Strasbourg on 9 July, before passing to the examination of the plenary on 9-12 July.