D years its edition of Wednesday, February 9, 2011, the business daily "Les Echos" published a gallery of Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian prime minister and former president of the ALDE group European Parliament. In this text, Guy Verhofstadt argues that France and Germany should no longer go it alone European governance and must also respect the Treaty of Lisbon. It also emphasizes the fact that the Franco-German must not only be a source of proposals but also that it must stop being a drag on Europe when its interests are at stake
It further demonstrates once that Europe is an interest greater than the sum of individual interests. Here is his gallery :
" European Governance: In Search of Lost Time
So last Friday, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have been politely but firmly oppose an end of inadmissibility by their counterparts from the European Council in their draft pact for competitiveness. The opposite would have been amazing! Who could imagine that heads of state and government would be dictating their economic policy by a Franco-German management board, and frankly mostly German, the original document is written in the language of Goethe? On the merits, yet it is the first time we finally released the hypocrisy to say things clearly. Yes, a common economic policy must be based on shared indicators of competitiveness (cost of work, retirement, taxation), on fiscal stability and investment in research, education and infrastructure. It was not until a year after the crisis began and the bond she has revealed asymmetries in the economic and social development of the euro area for evidence that these appear in an official document. From this point of view, I say "thank you Angela, thank you Nicolas" . But I add immediately: "But why have you wasted the opportunity to open a serious debate? "
Because everything is a question of method. Indeed, we must move towards a common economic policy. But the EU is a state of law, all of whom are represented in proportion to the Council and the European Parliament, and has a commissioner for the European Commission. I know that in Berlin or Paris is despised by the Commission and Parliament, but just imagine that in most other member states the marriage contract with the EU based on this premise: there are European institutions, and c is to them the responsibility to propose and decide. This is the rule of the game, and if Germany and France have been rebuffed, it is less for the ideas they advanced for their cavalier manner to violate the letter and spirit of the Treaty of Lisbon.
" course, I will say is, but where are the proposals of the European Commission? " course, I myself often condemned the inertia of José Manuel Barroso, imposed on this function, do I recall by France and Germany. It is true that the latter has long bridled advance all initiatives for fear that they face opposition from the "big countries". Still, little by little, under pressure especially the European Parliament, the Commission demonstrated some flashes. Who proposed the 2020 strategy to address the problem of competitiveness? The Commission. And that ensures that none of competitiveness indicators is binding? France and Germany! Who proposed a base harmonization of corporate tax? The Commission, in 2006. And who finally decides to take this debate seriously? France and Germany! Proposing an ambitious reform of the Stability Pact with automatic sanctions against poor performers budget? The Commission. And who is bent on weakening the device? France and Germany! If France and Germany, but other member states are not immune from criticism, had left our common institutions work, we would most probably launch the debate on economic governance, but already full negotiation.
This constancy in search of lost time has found during this European Council with a new illustration myopia Franco-German reality of the bond crisis. The creation of a single bond market is an imperative. Markets do not actually want less Europe, but most of Europe, that is to say, the visibility for the safety of their investments. And the European Liberals and Democrats are demanding a hue and cry for months, the European financial stability must be based on pooling the eurobond sovereign debt of member states of the euro area within the limits of criteria indebtedness under the treaty. That satisfy France and Germany in substance? "We'll see. "This strategy poker player is deadly because traders are much better players and officials of the Ministries of Finance. We propose to during the general debate which will open on the future EU budget, the European Investment Bank can issue bonds for the project, allowing European citizens to invest and bet on the development of our common good : Europe.
Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian Prime Minister chairs the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament. "
0 comments:
Post a Comment