From A to Z

Meetings of European leaders (with German chancellor Merkel and French president Sarkozy, greatly requested for bilateral appointments); negotiations on the “fiscal compact” deal for budgetary discipline; upcoming elections of European Parliament leadership; eyes directed on the “fundamentals” of economy to identify the state of financial recession… Such issues are being debated in EU seats in the midst of multiple problems, that correspond to an equal number of key-words. What will 2012 Community Europe vocabulary be like?“Crisis”, but not only. Almost for fun, by following the debates within EU institutions, skimming through the newspapers of the Old Continent, taking a look at websites and TV programs, and also by keeping one’s ears to the ground in the streets of Amsterdam, in shops in Athens, in schools in Stockholm, it’s possible to spot the most “popular” terms of European politics. Starting with the first letter of the Latin alphabet (without forgetting that there are 23 official languages in the EU with three alphabets: Latin, Cyrillic, Greek), every European citizen heard of Rating Agencies at least once, whose assessments cause the unrest of political leaders, bankers, economists. The second letter brings to mind Barroso José Manuel, president of the Commission, who has been incarnating, maybe in spite of himself, the community voice as compared to intergovernmental and national ambitions. Nor should the Balkans be neglected, towards which the EU has promised to keep its doors open. Then we come to C as in Crisis, which is the most spoken, reaffirmed, reiterated and exploited word since 2008. And there also is Cyprus, the Country that will assume the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the second semester of 2012; and Cameron David, who stands out as the only EU27 premier who rejected the proposal of a new treaty to contain the public debt of Member States.Denmark, EFSF, Innovation. The fourth letter is Denmark, to the lead of the EU in this year’s first semester, or Draghi Mario, Italian, president of the Central Bank of Frankfurt, committed in strengthening the financial institution established to protect the euro currency and price stability. This brings us to the Euro currency with the eurozone, at the centre of world debate, extending beyond European borders, regarding its very survival. A thought – albeit brief – goes to the Eurobonds, although this theme is projected in the distant future. The European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) were created as rescue programmes for Eurozone countries. To date, Greece (“G”) was its major beneficiary. Letter H is immediately linked to the Austrian Commissioner for regional policy Hahn Johannes, that is trying to balance the books of Community Funds to prompt growth in Europe by supporting its States. Follows I for Innovation, critical to the establishment of globally competitive economy; but also Immigration, an ever-topical issue. From J onwards. Jaroka Livia, Hungarian MEP, reminds us with her Roma origins, of the question regarding the integration of the largest minority in Europe. K is the first letter of the surname of Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the Executive, Dutch Commissioner of the Digital Agenda. Lipsius Justus, is the Flemish humanist after whom is named the seat of the European Council. M like in Mediterranean, reminding us of one of the European “origins” and “vocations”; just as “Merkozy”, the name given to the Merkel-Sarkozy duo, the most preeminent and debated leaders of political Europe. Accession Negotiations continue with candidate Countries (notably Turkey, although Ankara has been in ‘stand-by’ for quite a long time already). Orban Viktor, Hungarian premier, is widely criticized for his recent constitutional reform that includes controversial legislation considered disrespectful of democratic tenets. The fiscal Pact or Fiscal Compact, should be released by March, while the Multiannual Financial Framework (“Quadro” in Italian – translator’s note ) would ensure EU budgetary programming for the period 2014-2020. And while the letter R stands for Rating, the letter S for Spread follows suit (for financial experts) or Schulz Martin, German MEP, who on January 17 is expected to take office as the new president of the Assembly in Strasbourg. T as in Tobin tax (tax on financial transactions), United States of America (that observes the future of the EU with concern), Van Rompuy Herman, Belgian, president of the European Council, that acts as the major mediator of EU27 interests. Ultimately, W as in Wall Street Journal (representing all media following EU developments), Youth Europe (youth policies for the Europe of tomorrow) and Zaborska Anna, Slovakian MEP, in representation of all those engaged in the construction of the “European home”. And what about the letter X? No term in this case: to remind us that Europe is a work in progress… always missing one of its pieces.