newsitems

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- While nearly all other EU Budget Funds for 2013, as well as in EU Member States' National Budgets, are reduced or cut under strict Austerity Measures, nevertheless, Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid seems due to be paid about 1 Billion € in full Grants (i.e. in addition to EIB's Loans), despite several MEPs' attempts to cut it in reply to Ankara's provocative boycot of EU Council's rotating Chairmanship held by Cyprus between July and December 2012, while, astonishingly, the exact figures of EU Funds earmarked for Turkey during the next year appears very difficult, if not impossible to find now among several vague EU Documents without specific data, the competent EU Budgets' Commissioner Lewandowksi having curiously eluded a relevant "EuroFora"s question and simply replied that the precise amounts for 2013 will have to be determined by Negotiations, on which he refused to "speculate" (See Infra)...

Nevertheless, the competent EU Commissioner for Budger and Financial Programming, replying to "EuroFora"s question, admitted that 2013 is due to be a particularly "Difficult" Year for EU Funds, for several reasons, advising not to ask for more than what might be really needed, avoiding any "big increase", (See Infra).
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- "EuroFora" asked Lewandowski at a Press Conference during EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg yesterday, whether EU Funds scheduled for Turkey on the basis of EU - Turkey "Open-Ended" Negotiations (i.e. which haven't necessarily to head towards Full Accession into the EU, but can also lead f.ex. to a Privileged Partnership or another kind of Closer Relations, if and when Conditions might be met), "were (exceptionaly) maintained, or reduced, alike to many other Programs, (even of vital importance to EU Citizens and/or EU's Integration/development) for 2013. (For another "EuroFora"s question to the same EU Commissioner, on the EU Multi-Annual Financial Perspectives 2014-2020, see the specific "EuroFora"s NewsReport).

- Lewandowski, astonishingly replied by giving the Numbers for .. Croatia's forthcoming 2013 Entry into the EU ! Even the exerienced President of EU Parliament's Budget Committee, French MEP Lamassure, despite being a strong critic of Turkey's controversial and unopular EU bid, simply told "EuroFora" that he "didn't know" whether the 860 Millions € to 1 Billion € earmarked for Turkey last year (2012) would be, them too, diminished, as most other EU Funds for 2013, drastically reduced or cut, as a reply to Turkish negative behavior vis a vis EU Member State Cyprus' rotating EU Presidency, or not at all, eventually even being .. augmented..

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- In fact, "that's a complex of a variety of Questions included in one", EU Commissioner Lewandowski joked from the outset, smiling in reaction to "EuroFora"s questions, (almost as he had commented on a differend question, raised earlier by a collegue journalist of "EuroPolitics", qualifying it as a kind of threefold "Hat Trick" in football language)..  

- "Real (EU) Enlargement (Financial) Envelop included in our (EU's) Budget is for Croatia, as it was negotiated in the (EU-Croatia) Accession Treaty, the 2nd Half of the Year, and this should be close to 700 Millions € I think. So, this is "in" the EU Budget for 2013," he observed.+ "As well as other Instruments for Foreign Policy,  (due) to be established by Negotiations, (i.e.) what amount comes finally for the so-called "Heading 4", for External EU relations", he added."But the most Safe part is of course for Croatia, because it's a part  of what was negotiated in the Accession Treaty, as a part of a Deal",

- However, "it's not for me to speculate what might be the main issue of Discussions for 2013", Lewanovski carefully noted.

- But, "drawing on the lessons on the Shortage (of EU Funds) for 2012, I do believe that it's Better to supplement 2012, than to go for Big Increases for 2013", he advised.

- "If we are close to our Amending Budget for 2012, there will be No Increase in Real terms for 2013, because our Amending Budget is lifting the Volume of this year's (2012) Budget to the level of 2013".

- "2013 is, in my understanding, the most Difficult Year in terms of Obligations of the (EU) Member States (which currently are) in Excessive Deficit procedure, much more Difficult than 2012, due to the promisses and the obligations", he warned. Therefore, "I would recommend some Amendments for this Year (2012), in order to save Problems for 2014".

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Available FACTS :

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In fact, concerning "EuroFora"s question on Turkey, Ankara's Government got at least 856 Millions € on this year's 2012 EU Budget, i.e. the greater part of the IPA Program, to which were added several BEI low-cost Loans (that the artificially sustained, but currently Falling, Turkish Growth badly needs, as Washington DC headquartered Global Ranking Agency Simon and Poors recently revealed, after Downgrading Turkey precisely because of that Risky dependance on Short Term Foreign Loans, which are currently decreasing and/or uncertain, therefore unsustainable). Concerning EU Budget for 2013, astonishingly, the competent EU Commissioner, despite the fact that he was asked on Turkey, nevertheless, Lewandowski gave figures only about ... Croatia's forthcoming Entry into the EU (comp. Supra) ! And even the experienced, former EU affairs Minister for France, and current President of EU Parliament's Budget Committee, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Alain Lamassoure, speaking to "EuroFora", acknowledged that he "wasn't aware of the exact figures" about EU Funds earmarked for Turkey in the 2013 EU Draft Budget, nor whether they were lower, similar or augmented compared to the last year (2012), following or, on the contrary, opposite to most other EU programs' Reduction, even "in certain particularly important sectors", as Lamassoure had just denounced.

+Even more surprising is also the fact that Pre-Accession Instrument's (IPA) Funds earmarked for Agriculture and Rural development in the Draft 2013 EU Budget .. augmented for Candidate Countries, including Turkey (+ 5,6%), while, on the contrary, they are notoriously threatened with further restrictions inside EU itself... On "Energy" projects, the EU Funds allocated for 2013 to Candidate Countries (i.e. including Turkey) augment too, compared to last yeat (2012), for  almost .. + 16% !Astonishingly, (and perhaps the most important of all), "EuroFora" found, for the 1st time in  19 Years of work in European/PanEuropean/International News, that now it proved to be Extremely Difficult, EVEN TO KNOW the Amount of Money that Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid Costs :

- At first, when "EuroFora" asked the competent EU Commissioner for the Budget, Lewandowski, whether EU Funds earmarked for Turkey had been diminished, or not, during this period of Global Crisis, particularly when many Other EU Activities, obviously much more important for EU Ciitizens and/or for EU's Future, are threatened by drastic Cuts, surprisingly, Lewandowski simply changed and spoke only about the entirely Differend matter of the Full Entry into the EU of ... Croatia ! (Comp. Supra).

+ But an even bigger Surprise was revealed afterwards, when "EuroFora", speaking with the President of EU Parliament's Committee on Budgets, the experienced former EU affairs Minister, French MEP Alain Lamassoure, on this same point ; Despite his well-known, strongly critical stance against Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, nevertheless, even Lamassoure himself astonished by revealing that he simply "didn't know", and, kindly advised us to... "ask the (competent EU) Commissioner Lewandowski, (i.e. the same person who had just eluded that Turkey Funds issue, preferring to focus exclusively on the absolutely Differend case of... Croatias's aleady decided full Entry into the EU, scheduled for the 2nd Half of 2012 : comp. Supra). ..

In despair, we tried even to ask another MEP, with a solid reputation of havin been elected mainly on the basis of a very Critical stance againsty Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid : The President of EU Parliament's Security and Defense Committtee, former Expert, French ChristianDemocrat MEP Danjean  : His immediate reaction inevitably added to the overall Mystery : Danjean admitted that he ignored that Number, and kindly advised "EuroFora" to "ask Lamassoure", i.e. the President of the Budget's Committee, who "didn't know" that detail, and had also kindly advised us to "ask EU Commissioner Lewanoiwski", who, after being questioned by "EuroFora" in public, at a Press Conference in EU Parliament, on Turkey's EU Funds for 2013, simply eluded that point, prefering to speak, instead, for Croatia's imminent entry inside the EU (Comp. supra) !...

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+ Given that "EuroFora" had learned, a year earlier, by a Group of MEPs and Experts, that almost the Same Amount of Money needed for EU Space Research and Development (f.ex. on GMES, GALILEO, etc. : i.e. about 850 Millions € each Year), was precisely what was also given to the notoriously undemocratic and retrograde Turkish regime, despite its continuing and often aggravating serious Violations of Human Rights, as ECHR's judgements clearly prove, from 1995 up to 2012... (Comp.: .........), we tried to search at least all the immediately available EU sources of information :

- But, at the Internet, curiously, neither EU Parliament's, nor EU Commission's, neither EU Council's relevant Website pages didn't provide this time, at first view, any clear Data on the Total Amount of EU Funds due to be given to Turkey by the 2013 EU Budget : Either the relevant pages were Empty in this regard, or (even more strange) they contained certain links which pointed to .. Erroneous, "Dead Ends", (f.ex. "page manquante", "addresse introuvable", etc),  or to some other pages which were, curiously "Prohibited" to Access (!).

+ Searching, as "ultimum remedium", for the usual Paper Documents on the annual EU Budget traditionally distributed inside EU Parliament's Press Centre for Decades, "EuroFora" was even more astonished (as well as several other persons) to find out that, exceptionally, and Contrary to what was both a well established Tradition, as well as an obviously elementary Democratic Safeguard for the Efficiency and the Seriousness of EU Parliament's and all MEPs' Right and Duty to be able to check how EU Taxpayers' Money is spend, (i.e. by at least knowing WHO receives HOW MUCH EU Funds and FOR WHAT LEGAL PURPOSE, on what CONDITIONS, etc), in fact, it was almost .. IMPOSSIBLE to See not even a Page, a Paragraph, or at least a Line, or a mere Number, which would, at last, reveal, simply how much EU intended to spend for Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid on 2013  :

- In fact, this time, contrary top what was always done in the Past, all Distributed (and even more) relevant EU Documents on the Budget 2013, didn't mention at all any Number for the Money due to be given by the EU to Turkey on 2013 : Only some vague references to the overall Credits destinated to ALL "Candidate" Countries, curiously without any Distinction between them, leaving any Reader, mysteriously, in the Dark !
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=> Thus, in EU Parliament, MEPs who wished to "Cut" EU Funds for Turkey in the EU Budget for 2013 in order to "make a Political point", "in view of Turkey's decision" to Boycott "the Cyprus Presidency of the (EU) Council in the 2nd Half of 2012", (as it was stressed in the Draft Amendment No 552, officialy tabled at the Budget's Committee at the initiative of the "Freedom and Democracy" Group, etc), were obliged to raise that point vis a vis EU's "Financial support .. to the Turkish Cypriot Community" in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus still held by Ankara's Foreign Army, which is clearly indicated at the  Budget Line No  22 02 07 03, (contrary to the astonishing Obscurity practically hidding the exact amount of EU Funds earmarked for Ankara itself :  See above)..
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However, on the forthcoming Multi-Annual Financial Perspectives of the period 2014-2020, EU Commission has just asked an Increase of the Instrument of Pre-Accession (IPA's) Funds from about 11 up to more than 14 Billions €, (i.e. almost + 3 Billions € more), despite the fact that, meanwhile, Croatia would have normally become a new EU Member, thereby liberating several Hundreds of Millions € from IPA for other "candidate" countries, including the controversial and unpopular Turkish EU bid...
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Meanwhile, concerning the EU Budget for 2013, EU Commission's initial Draft has already asked more than 1 Billion and 60 Millions € for EU Enlargement's policies and administration, in terms of commitments' appropriations, i.e. almost the same amount as for the year 2012, despite the fact that Croatia will become EU Member during 2013, thereby ceasing to be funded via Enlargement appropriations, so that the obvious question is where will go next year those EU Enlargement Funds which, one year before, f.ex. on 2012, were earmarked for Zagreb..

+ In addition, the same EU Commission's initial Draft Budget for 2013 asks also more than 154 Millions € for other "Budget Headings open to Candidate Countries", including Turkey, (i.e. mainly in order to Fund participation to EU Programs on "Competitiveness and Innovation", "Life long Learning", "Culture", "Youth", etc), in which Ankara receives the Biggest Part, with about 124 Millions €, i.e.  more than ..74 % of the Total, (even with Croatia included...).

=> If a similar Proportion is used also for the rest of EU Enlargement-related Funds (i.e. more than 1 Billion and 60 Millions € : Comp. supra), then Turkey might get about 785 Millions € from specific "Enlargement" Funds, to which are added its 124 Millions € from other EU Headings on Programs "Open to Candidate Countries" (comp. Supra), arriving at a Big Amount of .. 908 Millions € of Grants for  Turkey next year !

+ To this sum can be also added other EU Funds for Turkey's participation to EU's "7th framework programme on Research" for the period 2007-2013, on Information and Communication Technologies, Space and Security (such as GMES, GALILEO, research on Terrorism and Crime : 751 Millions € for all), Transports, Direct EU Joint Research Center's actions, and/or Mobility of Researchers, which total some Billions €, (both for EU and  3rd Countries taken together), but on which, Ankara's part is not yet known... 

==> In consequence, EU Funds for Turkey in 2013 might reach about 1 Billion € in full Grants, according to the available Data (cited Supra), to which are naturally added also EIB Loans to Ankara, whose part among the 1,12 Billion € earmarked for all "Pre-Accession Countries" in 2013 (i.e. more than in 2012, despite Croatia's entry into the EU during 2013 !) is to be determined yet, (after having been initially fixed at about 450 Millions € in Loans on December 2000, i.e. 11 years earlier, and certainly augmented since then)....
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From a GeoPolitical view, it's interesting to note the fact that, in Comparison, specific EU Funds for "Relations with (all) Latin America" Countries,  (including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Panama, etc.), are about 380,5 Millions € for 2013, while for "Relations" with "China" find special EU Funds only for "Business and Scientific Exchanges" with just ... 3,7 Millions € for Payment Appropriations only, (i.e. for implementation of older contracts), and the "genuine Strategic Partnership" with Russia doesn't get more specific EU Funds  than only ..1,86 Million €, merely for "Minorities"' culture, Media and Civil Society (NGOs)...
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap).

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- "EuroFora" invited EU Parliament's Rapporteurs to "Highlight, in a Simplified way, the outline of their VISION for the Future of Europe, which is implied by the Multi-Annual Financial Prespectives that EU Parliament supports : Because when you speak about all the "2014-2020" period, inevitably, people want to know how Europe might evolve in the foreseeable future", we observed.

+¨In this regard, "EuroFora" asked, in particular, the main Rapporteur, Reimer Boege, (who has already an experience of "Hard Issues" to settle, and Difficult Choices to make on EU's Multi-Annual Financial Perspectives, as a long-time EU Parliament Raporteur on this Strategic issue already since  2005), found Today (i.e. on 2012) any "Risk" or "simply Consequence" which might push towards  "a Multi-Speed Europe", from the Budget point of view, or not.
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- "Starting" to reply to "EuroFora" from the 1st Question, concerning "the Vision of Europe in 2020" implied by the Financial Perspectives proposed in 2012 (comp. Supra), EU Parliament's co-Rapporteur, Socialist MEP and former deputy Prime Minister Kalfin, replying to "EuroFora"s Question stressed from the outset that "I'm sure that we aren't going to see in 2020 the Problems that we face Now" :

- "That's (precisely) why we (MEPs) are trying to make a Budget which willl not only help the EU to exit the (Global) Economic Crisis, but also allows them, in the Post-Crisis Period, to Develop a Well Functioning, Competitive Economy, which is based on High-Technologies, on "Greening", and on the equation of Highly-Qualified Jobs in Europe", EU Parliament's co-Rapporteur ambitiously highlighted.

- "This has to be the underlying Objective of the EU", Kalfin stressed in reply to "EuroFora"s 1st Question (comp. Supra).

+ "We (EU Parliament's Majority) are, also, insisting on the Coherence of differend Policies in the EU", he added. "By 2020, the €uroZone (i.e. EU's core, currently composed by 17 Member States, but attracting much more out of EU's 27) is likely to be very much Enlarged. So, whatever instruments we create for €uroZone, it has to be Part of the Community Method, within the Decision-Making of EU Institutions", Kaflin underlined, obviously supporting EU's Unity, at least on the main institutional framework, up to 2020+, (as far as "EuroFora"s 2nd Question was concerned : Comp. Supra).

++ "Until 2020, we (EU Parliament) would like also to see the EU Budget able to respond to needs that might appear later-on, (i.e.) that are not foreseen now, at this stage", Kaflin went on to say.  - "That's why, in the (adopted) Report we suggest the Mid-Term Revision of the (EU) Budget, in order to be able, in 3,5 Years to properly discuss  what is the Result of the Half of the period, and what we (EU) could fix for the Next Part of the period".

+ Moreover, "we would like to see the European Budget based, as it's required in the Treaty, on (its) "Own Resources", i.e.not to be a bigger one necessarily, but to be more Stable and more Autonomous one, and living the Freedom  of  the (EU) Member States to really concentrate on the National Issues, and not have the EU Budget as a Burden, if it's possible, without taxing further EU Citizens", as the vice-Resident of EU Parliament's Budgets' Committee put it.

=> "These are elements of what we would like to see, and they are part of the (adopted, EU Parliament's) Report, for a Period which is going well beyond the current preoccupations", Kaflin concluded.
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+ "In Principle, the (EU) Treaty, speaking about €uro, it already lays down that the Currency of the Economic and Monetary Union is the €uro, Full Stop". Therefore, "2 Countries applied for an Exception (UK and Denmark). All the others, are on their way to join the €uro, whenever they will be Ready to join. So, we have, already, 2 Speeds", the main and most experienced EU Parliament's Rapporteur, longtime MEP Reimer Boege, of the Governing ChristianDemocrat Party in Germany, replied afterwards to "EuroFora"s 2nd Question (Comp. Supra).

- "And it's very Important, ..that what is at the Centre of the EU, is the €uro, as a Common Currency, (and) it can't be exauced by Inter-Governemental methods, just talking about EuroFacilities, etc.". Because "it (€uro) belongs to the Center (EU's Core ), and Not to the Outer Circle. And it has (also) to do with the Unity of the (EU) Budget", Boege stressed firmly.

=> "Therefore, as far as we are talking about the Implementation of Lisbon Treaty (into force since December 2009), I would be very Happy if all (EU) Member States would Read the Text, and what the Treaty obliges us to do, as far as "own resources", f.ex. are concerned," the experienced, long-time EU Parliament's Reporteur pointed out.  -"We still need a Full and Proper Implementation of the (EU) Lisbon Treaty, also in order to (become fully able) to play our Role in a Global context", the mainstream EuroPolitician urged.

+ "Also, as far as the Long Term Period is concerned, it's very Important for us : The Longer the Period is, the more Flexible Instruments we need. Because we canNot foresee all the Events which may happen until 2020", exlained the experienced mainstream MEP, who is also Member of the Bureau in the Biggest Group of MEPs, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP.

- F.ex., "remembering the situation with GALILEO", (EU's Satellite Navigation System, landmark Space High-Tech Infrastructure project, which was scandalously "freezed" until 2003 Iraq War revealed loopholes at GPS 1, was seriously boosted afterwards, but again unacceptably Delayed, later on, until the current EU Commission's vice-President Tajani, in charge of Industry and Space, told "EuroFora" and other Journalists that he found a way to settle most issues and re-launch the High-Tech project, which might, however, face new challenges during the current Budget Restrictions, unless a solution is found : Comp. also "EuroFora"s observations in the NewsReport on EU Budget's Commissioner Lewandowski's earlier replies to our Questions). +"Or the situation with the Additional Finances of the (EU) Food Facility, while the UNO desperately needed our (EU's) support", he also recalled on Humanitarian Urgencies.

=> "Therefore, the more Complicated the Figures are, the more Flexibility, and Flexibility on the Annual (EU) Budgets we need", Boege concluded.

- "And we offered 1 page of Flexibility Instruments, to carry over UnSpend Money, to talk about Flexibility between (Budget's) Sub-Headings which do not exist sufficiently, so that in Future we (EU) are no more in that concrete structure, as we have today to live with" until now, he denounced.  
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+ " Second point : We (EU Parliament) insist in a Real Mid-Term Revision, which totally deserves its name", "To remind You the Agreements that we had (already) made in the existing MAFF,  f.ex. Commitments on Review, on Own Resources, on Amounts, etc., and our Experience is that this (Past) Agreement on Reviews were seen and interpreted in quite a Differend way between the (EU) Institutions", (Commission, Parliament or Council, etc), Boege denounced, referring to what happened back on 2005-2008.

=>  - "Therefore, we (EU Parliament) shall be more Careful and Vigilent, this time" (i.e. to strive to ensure Flexibility for the Future), Boege warned with a malicious smile. So, "this time, we Insist on a Real Revision Facility, which can be really used, whenever it's needed at the appropriate moment", he stressed.
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+ Questioned anew by "EuroFora" on the eventual consequences of a "Multi-Speed" Europe, the experienced EU Parliament's Rapporteur on EU's Financial Perspectives, from the Governing Coalition in Germany, Reimer Boege, was adamant on the essentials of EU's Unity :

- "If anyone doesn't respect neither the principle of Solidarity, nor the observance of the Monitoring Rules, he should go out of the EU, towards the European Economic Area", Boege strongly stressed, (referring to the GeoPolitical space currently used by Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, since Iceland decided to join the EU)...
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The exact Timing is of great practical importance, since the expected ReCapitalization of Banks in need cannot proceed before ECB's Single Supervisory Mechanism has been set up correctly enough (comp. relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports from last week's EU Summit in Brussels : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hollandeonbankinguniontiming.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/merkeloneupoliticalwill.html)

Significantly, Bowles spoke to "EuroFora" after the 1st Discussion by MEPs, late this Evening in Strasbourg, of 2 relevant Reports tabled in EU Parliament's Economic Committee, on"the Tasks to confer on ECB concerning .. the  .. Supervision of Credit Institutions", and on subsequent "Amendments to the EU Regulation .. on .. European Supervisory Authority (alias "European Banking Authority", which existed already inside the EU), drafted respectively by German MEPs Marianne Thyssen (ChristianDemocrat/EPP) and  Sven Giegold (Greens), during which many MEPs from various Countries and/or political Horizons expressed several concerns and/or proposals for Change on many concrete points of EU Council's Draft, most of them anouncing also their intention to table relevant Amendments.

Bowles anounced to the competent Committee's Members that Amendments have to be Tabled this Friday, on October 26, so that they can be Examined and Discussed by the Economic Committee on November 9, before being Voted upon, on November 29, so that both Draft Reports might hopefuly be debated in Public and adopted by EU Parliament's Plenary session of December (10 to 13) in Strasbourg, i.e. just 1 or 2 Days before the EU Heads of State/Governments' Summit in Brussels, scheduled for 13 and 14 of December...

This Time Schedule is obviously so "Tight", and the various Changes demanded by many MEPs on serious, concrete points, so numerous, that "it's quite Uncertain" if an Agreement between EU Parliament and EU Council might be brokered on the Single Supervising Mechanism of the ECB before the December Summit, since "it seems that there will be Many Amendments, and even myself will table some", the President of the competent Committee, Sharon Bowles, warned "EuroFora".

 - Indeed, "I expect a lot of Amendments", but "it's better to take as much as possible Now, instead of crying after 2 Years, (i.e. when the forthcoming European Banking Union is scheduled to start working effectively, around 2014), so that we (EU Parliament) can ensure that what we decide, holds water", observed at the conclusion of the Economic Committee's discussion its main Rapporteur, MEP Marianne Thyssen.

Meanwhile, the other Rapporteur, MEP Sven Giegold (comp. Supra) had already warned that a too "hasty" Legal Text would risk to be referred both to the German Constitutional Court, at nearby Karlsruhe, and/or to EU's Court of Justice in Luxembourg..

The 1st Discussion in EU Parliament of Banking Union's Draft Legislative framework had revealed, earlier today, inside the Economic Affairs Committee, that the main questions to be settled concerned particularly the need to find ways according to which the eventually participating Non-Euro Member Countries would be treated, as much as possible, at an Equal (or at least "Balanced") stand with Eurozone Countries, (an issue which reportedly occupied for many hours the Heads of State/Governments, last week, back in Brussels), but also various other relevant issues :

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Repeating several times the Key word "Political Will", the Iron Lady in a Velvet Glove of the most Populated and Economically Performant EU Member Country, German Chancellor Angie Merkel, concluded in a Press Conference the October 2012 EU Summit by stressing that Europe is "right in the process of searching to find Political Answers", to its current needs.

- Because, today, "the Crucial Question of €uroCurrency and EU's Future are linked with the Stabilisation and the Development of the European Economic and Monetary Union", as Merkel stressed from the outset.

- Indeed, "we (EU) must be Careful not to forget  that we have significant Architectural Discrepancies to settle in the €uro Area, if only for a few days there is a rather Calm Situation in the Financial Markets without interests reaching new Heights", she warned.

- In fact, "we (EU) need a Closer Economic Policy Coordination", (as also supported by the relevant Draft Paper presented by EU President Van Rompuy), where one main Idea is to have "Binding Contracts between EU Commission and Member States, on the basis of Country-Specific Recommendations". And, in this regard, we (EU Summit) discussed, f.ex. yesterday if we should Start with those Countres which face Financial Imbalances, or not, Merkel revealed.

- The overall "Logic is that elements of Solidarity must always go hand by hand with an element of Stronger Monitoring", so that their respective Levels can Fit to each other", the German Chancellor confirmed, citting f.ex. the fact that the New €uroArea Treaty (which introduces a "Golden Rule" with a "Debt Break" : See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Elysée Palace on August 16, 2011, and from Brussels' EU Summits of December 2011 and January 2012, etc), which was adopted "practically at once", together with the creation of the European Stability Mechanism, due to help €uroZone Members which might face Financial Markets' problems.

A "Logic" which was initially evoked, at a Franco-German Summit's Press Conference in Freiburg, as early as since December 2010, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), when former French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel launched a Strategy for deeper "Integration" inside €uroArea, while the Press was raising questions about German Finance Minister Shauble's reported suggestion that a Stronger European Integration would gradually open some room also for a stronger EU Solidarity.
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In fact, for Merkel this process should advance by adding certain key "Building Blocks" which "fit" together, couple by couple : Something which can take some Time in order to have a Solid "Quality" Basis, but, at any case, should be, all in all, much Shorter than 5 years, contrary to what a critical question supposed, which was clearly rejected by Merkel as too long.
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From the Timing point of view, in fact, October 2012 EU Summit decided an Agenda which practicaly postpones many important Decisions for December 2012 and later, (i.e. in fact after the forthcoming USA Presidential Elections of November) : This concerns at first the main Agenda on Banks' Supervision and eventually recapitalisation , (See the relevant "EuroFora" publication of yesterday : .http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hollandeonbankinguniontiming.html ) 

+ French President Hollande also confirmed, earlier today, that several other issues, highlighted by EU Council since january 2012 and decided on June, are expected, in fact, to be finalized ar around December 2012, such as BEI's 10 Billions capital augmentation, unused Structural Funds' reorientation, 4 or 5 Billionsd € for "Project Bonds", etc. As for the effective entry into force of the Single Supervision Mechanism on Banks, it was agreed to be scheduled for more or less near the 2014 EU Parliament's Elections, (i.e. "at the Beginning of 2014", as Merkel noted).
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It is around that same Date, of 2014 EU Elections, that French President Hollande confirmed, earlier this morning, that he estimates as most probable for a kind of "Political Union" in a Europe advancing with "Multiple Speeds", €uroArea being destinated to faster and deeper Integration than the rest of the EU, (to which, however, an Open Door policy would be applied).

- "Nobody can hinder €uroArea Countries to Advance Forward whenever they want", the French President stressed, adding also that a Special "EuroArea" Section inside the existing EU Parliament would be a Good Idea for the forseeable Future.

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- For the moment, "the sustainable Stabilisation of the Economic and Monetary Union was at the Centre of this (October 2012) EU Summit", stressed Merkel from the beginning of her Press Conference, speaking to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora", just after Hollande, .. (i.e. by a Positive "coincidence", precisely as "EuroFora" had suggested; yesterday evening, when we spoke with a Merkel's aid, so that the Journalists can follow both Franco-German Press Conferencies, one after the other, in order to be able to forge an overall view on EU "Motor"'s stance on main current issues)....

- Thus, "placing Quality before Speed", we (EU) agreed "to have at the Beginning of 2013 (i.e. shortly after the December 2012 EU Summit) a Legal Framework for a Single Supervision Mechanism on Banks, on which, ECB could then build up the real tools due to exert that Banking Supervision "in the course of the Year 2013", so that, when, after the right Legal Basis, an effective and viable Supervision Authority would have been built, then, the Direct ReCapitalization of Banks which might need it, could start", Merkel explained.

- At any case, "we (EU) shall see if we are Ready, or not" at the scheduled dates, replied the German Chancellor to another relevant question. - What counts is that "the Political Will" to do so, at the scheduled Dates, exists, she confirmed.

+ As for various other questions which remain yet to be settled in practice, (f.ex., whether it's possible to separate ECB's Monetary competences from its Supervision competences, and how Non-€uro States might be included in that Supervision") to which she "replied Positively", there is not yet a need to speculate here today. Because, at any case, - "We (EU) want a Supervision on Banks, and we will find a way or another to have such a Supervision !", Merkel stressed firmly.

Various such "Details" were left for Finance Ministers and Experts to analyse and propose possible solutions, while, we, as EU Heads of State/Goverment, wanted to express our Political Will in favor of ECB as single Supervisor of Banks, directly and/or indirectly, and this will not be altered, confirmed the German Chancellor, pointing to the fact that what is really at stake at this stage is to "do what is needed in order to Guarantee a Stable Banking System throughout the entire €uroArea".

For that overall purpose, the scheduled EU Plan has, in fact, several "Parts", including the creation of a "Single Supervision System" over Banks in €uroArea, and a related mechanism for Banks' "ReCapitalisation" under certain Conditions, she noted, in reply to questions. Both these "Parts" are on the Agenda of the Work which needs to be done now, Merkel confirmed.

-  In fact, we (EU) have to find the Best possible Mechanisms. If ECB creates them Faster and needs less than 12 Months, then, that is all right with me : It only must work well", the German Chancellor concluded on the precise Timing issue.

=> Concerning all various practical and other particular aspects of the planned Banking Union (or, more precisely, of the Bank Supervision and conditional Recapitalisation systems), "we simply said that this must be of Good Quality, it must Work, and -contrary to what we had until now- it must bring an Added Value", Merkel clarified.
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+ Moreover, advancing further beyond that, "we (October 2012 EU Summit) also discussed about Other elements for a further Development of the Economic/Monetary Union", f.ex. concerning the matter of "Budgetary Discipline", where we agreed that "we need an Integrated Budgetary Framework", as part of the EMU, as welll as what could be named as a kind of "Solidarity Fund" in order to improve Competitiveness", the German Chancellor revealed, (anouncing another "Building Block" with a "Control and Solidarity Logic" : Comp. Supra)...

However, since a much needed "Reinforced Economic Coordination" in €uroZone "should also generate Binding Reform-related Obligations between EU Commission and Member States", then, "we must fairly Legitimize that Democratically", Merkel warned, after pointing, already earlier also at an enhanced EU Parliament's role, (comp. also Supra about Hollande's relevant observations on MEPs, made earlier today, as well as experienced German Finance Minister Schauble's landmark statements at an ENA-CoE Conference, since the beginnng of September in Strasbourg : Comp. relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaubledauloneupoliticalunion.html ).
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The German Chancellor was speaking at an overloaded Press Conference, full of sitting and even standing Journalists obviously interested to know all about her stance on the issues, at the Conclusions of the October 2012 EU Summit in Brussels, which was exceptionally prolonged so that it  over-lasted an earlier Press Conference by French President Hollande, so that Journalists could be able to follow more or less Both Franco-German Leaders, facilitating a much needed overall view and Synthesis on the respective and joint views of EU's Franco-German "motor", by an astonishingly Positive "coincidence", just after "EuroFora" had suggested precisely such a solution to a Merkel's aid, yesterday evening...

Also because, in fact, related developments evolve Fast, as, f.ex. EU Parliament is due to discuss the real outcome of the October 2012 EU Summit immediately afterwards, at its Next Week's Plenary Session in Strasbourg, in the presence also of EU Commission and EU Council's Presidents Barroso and Van Rompuy.
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