Provoked by global crises

Libya, Japan and economic questions: these are the key issues on which focused the summit of the EU27 Heads of Government or State, held in Brussels on March 24-25. These “global challenges” thus condition the Community agenda and highlight convergences, differing stances and fuel what occasionally became a fierce confrontation.Libya: arms, relief and politics. “Unity” and “determination”: with these two terms Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, indicates the lines that until now have characterized EU action on the situation in Libya. Van Rompuy tried to circumvent problems relating to the military and political guidance of the operation “Odyssey dawn”, and at the end of the summit declared that “actions” were “taken in conformity with the UN Security Council Resolution on the protection of civilians as a reason for intervention”. “We will deliver humanitarian assistance and there must be a political transition, led by the Libyans”, he said. The “stable” EU president thus mentioned “further sanctions against the regime”: “we want to stop their income flow from oil and gas sales”. At present there is no mention of the total embargo on energy supply from Tripoli as requested by certain countries, notably Germany.Japan and nuclear safety. Reaching a common stand on Japan’s post-earthquake situation is less difficult. “Regarding Japan, the European Union will support the country in overcoming the hardship it faces after the earthquake and the tsunami. We are ready as a Union to assist when necessary, and in any way we can”. Van Rompuy explained: “The effects of the events go beyond Japan. We pay close attention to the consequences for the global economy and the financial markets. And there is the nuclear aspect. We therefore decided that the safety of nuclear plants should be urgently reviewed, using in the so-called “stress tests “. The Commission “will report on the stress tests to the European Council before the end of this year”. “Because the danger does not stop at our borders, we encourage and support neighbouring countries to do similar stress tests”. On this point clarifications were made by Commission President José Manuel Barroso. “Radiation levels in Europe have not changed, but we need to ensure that the highest nuclear safety standards are respected”. “The Commission has called for a comprehensive safety and risk assessment to be done at all nuclear power plants in the EU. The European Council will assess initial findings by the end of 2011 on the basis of a report by the Commission”. Barroso informed on the decision to implement the new Directive on nuclear safety in full, and “to adopt rapidly the Commission proposal on nuclear waste”.Sound finances, euro, competitiveness. On the economic front the European Council Conclusions of March 24-25 confirm the decisions taken over the past weeks. The Council approved the Euro Plus Pact providing for financial stability of the euro area, finalized the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) (the present, temporary budget, due to expire in 2013, has already been allocated to Greece and Ireland and is currently being apportioned to Portugal), and approved the amendments to the Lisbon Treaty to step up governance. The Council equally endorsed the six-pack of legislative proposals advanced by the Commission and further bank stress tests. “This is a very good result for Europe”, Barroso remarked. “This package will strengthen the economic governance of the European Union and ensure the lasting stability of the euro area as a whole”. The States that adopted the single currency are called to report on budget, reform, and investments by the end of April. The Commission will present its proposals for country-specific opinions and recommendations in good time for their adoption before the June European Council. In April “we will present the single Market Act that will lay the ground for job-creating growth”.Euro Plus Pact. The Euro Plus Pact (as agreed by the euro area Heads of State or government and joined by Bulgaria, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania) “will further strengthen the economic pillar of EMU and achieve a new quality of economic policy coordination, with the objective of improving competitiveness”, state the Council conclusions. The Member States that have signed up to the Pact are committed “to announce a set of concrete actions to be achieved within the next twelve months”. All participating Member States “will present their commitments as soon as possible and in any event on time for their inclusion in their Stability or Convergence Programs and National Reform Programs to be submitted in April and for their assessment at the June European Council”.