newsitems

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- French President Sarkozy, speaking to those few happy Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora", who had bravely resisted a sleepless Night, up to 5 o'clock in the early Morning of next day, after an endless working "Diner" from Thursday to Friday, (in addition, as far as we're concerned, to 3 Long Trips from Strasbourg to Paris and Marseille, and from Marseille to Brussels, in order to follow all relevant Top Developments, from the Elysee palace Sarkozy-Merkel Summit which revealed the Franco-German proposals for €urozone's Future, up to EPP's Bi-Annual Congress in Marseille where were launched the 1st calls and Debates among MEPs and Heads of State/Government, running fast straight back to Brussels' EU/€urozone Summit for final official Decisions), apparently tired, but always active and even Enthousiastic this time, stressed that that the decided "Structural Changes" of €uro-Area's Governance, in addition to the Short-term Financial Measures, will be "FASTER" than initially scheduled :

- Agreeing that " an (Inter-Governemental) Agreement, without (EU) Treaty Modification, (as it was finally decided in Brussels by 26 EU Countries due to the UK's refusal : See infra) goes Faster", Sarkozy noted that "that's precisely why I wanted that from the start".

- "We (the Franco-German, couple) both wanted ... to make Structural Reforms and show that we have learned the Lesson of the Crisis", he reminded. - But, "a Treaty Modification with 27 (member Countries) exists. It's a procedure. It means Constitutional changes. EU Parliament. 4 or 5 Referenda", (i.e. a rahe cumbersome procedure) he reminded. - On the contrary, "if we want an Inter-Governemental agreement, it means that we are in a Strategy of a similar kind to Shengen and/or to EFSM, that is to say, more Light-weight" (less heavy), he observed.

 

    - "This is a Summit which will mark History, because the Decisions which were taken ar extremely Heavy, and are going to Definitively Change the way €urozone works, EU's own functioning, while it's also a Good omen to see that there are at least 23 EU Countries which have already decided to adopt this (New) InterGovernemental Agreement", he stressed. Indeed, "this was accepted by (all) the 17 (€urozone Member Countries), plus all those (Non-€urozone EU Members) who want to join us", (i.e. practically 23 or 26 European Countries), he reminded.

     - "We achieved a Major Breakthrough towards a Stable €uro-Area, which will be developed further", "we succeeded into laying a more Stable Foundation", "a Treaty expression of a Stability Union", stressed from the outset German Chancellor Angie Merkel, speaking later at a Press Conference.

- Decisions taken "make it very clear that we are very Determined", and that "we want to learn from Errors of the Past", Merkel added.

- "We also received Wide Support by non-€urozone, EU Member Countries", the German Chancellor noted with interest, anouncing also that, "in the Drafting of that Treary, we shall include Observers from the EU Parliament".
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    - "We (€urozone+) adopted all the content of the Franco-German Letter", so that "all the Measures" it predicts .. in order to Strengthen   €urozone, will be in the (official) Conclusions", Sarkozy anounced from the outset.

- "This contains some extremely Important things, such as, f.ex. : "

+ "A crystal-clear and definite Refusal  of the PSI, i.e. to Drop any restructuration of Private Debt, as we want to mark even in the (New) Treaty" : Among the "most Impotant Decisions that we took, is, f.ex. also the Exclusion of any kind of use of PSI, i.e. of restructuring a Private Debt : Every Eurozone Coutry, was committed, from now on, to refund its Debt", Sarkozy made it clear from the start. Thus, "Deauville's deal corresponded to a precise moment", when "the only problem we had was that of Greece, i.e. a Country which had a Debt of 220 Billions € that it couldn't pay back". So, "Deauville's deal served to settle the problem of Greece". But, now, "Greece's problem has been settled", Sarkozy observed optimistically. In consequence, "Deauville's deal doesn't exist no more", because "we can't compare Italy or Spain, not even Portugal, with Greece", (where the Real Cause of the Debt Crisis was both much Earlier than Accession to the €uro, and more Political, i.e. a 1999-2000 deal on exchanging Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid with Greece's too early €urozone entry, even before it makes necessary Reforms, benefiting  Electoral aims of former "Socialist" Governments  : See "EuroFora"s full Analysis with Facts on that issue in previous NewsReports).

++ "The Institutionalisation of €uroArea's Governance (€AG), to the Level of Heads of State/Government, which will meet "Regularly", while we also proposed "each Month" during the Crisis"

+++ "The possibility to take Decisions in the €uroArea Fund with a Majority of 85%", (instead of Unanimously, as in he Past)", etc.
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+ Short-term Measures :
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+ Meanwhile, "We decided to study in 8 Days the possibility of Strenghening our Contribution to the IMF for 200 Billions €" (270 Billions $), Sarkozy replied to a question if €urozone + Countries had scheduled to give a Loan to the IMF to support the weaker Eurozone Countries. In addition, "we are looking forward to Parallel Contributions from the International Community", added an €uro-Area Summit's statement, reminding the latest, November 2011 "G-20" Summit's decisions at Cannes, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from and on Cannes' G20 Summit).

+ Moreover, the "European Stability Mechanism", which was scheduled for 2013, will be set up (1 Year earlier) on 2012", and "tomorrow" (Friday) morning we shall decide on its immediate Funding, he added in reply to questions.
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+ Significantly, for the 1st time, ECB's new Governor, Mario Draghi was invited to participate to Brussels' EU Summit, the same day that he made important anouncements in a Press Conference in Francfurt, including ECB's decision to lower -25 points its Interest Rates for a period of 3 Years, i.e. allowing f;ex. Banks to get Money with only 1% of interests, (f.ex. in order to buy States' Bonds, which have higher rates, allowing to make a fair gain.

- "ECB's Decision is very Important, and I'm sure that .. many Observers will understand soon what is really going on", stressed later Sarkozy : - "For the 1st time in its History, the ECB decided, in addition to Lowering its Interest Rates for he 2nd time in a row, also to give Loans for 3 years to Banks, without Limits, at an extremely Low Rate : 1% for European Banks". This practically means, f.ex. that a State as Italy or Spain, which is now obliged by Markets to borrow with a rate of 6 or 7%, may ask from Italian Banks to Fund a Part of its Debt in clearly Lower Interest Rates", he observed.

+ +Moreover, ECB will manage €uroArea's main Financial Tools, such as the European Fund for Financial Stability (EFFS) and the permanent European Stability Mechanism (ESM) , Sarkozy anounced in reply to questions, with "a great Satisfaction", because this "will reinforce Trust in this EU Fund"

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Meanwhile, Heads of State/Government agreed to apply "Strasbourg's case-law", as Sarkozy noted, reminding the Trilateral France - Germany - Italy Summit, (See "Eurofora"s Newsreports from the spot), according to which, "we don't comment on what ECB should do, or not do".

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Naturally, all this was added to the well known Measures on National Budgets' "Golden Rules", on Automatic Sanctions in case of violations, €-Monitorng, etc., according to the Franco-German proposals revealed from Monday evening in the Paris' Merkel - Sarkozy bilateral Summit (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Elysée palace).

Indeed,  €uro-Area's Governance (€AG) was born, between Thursday Night and early Friday Morning, long before Christmas, and the "Baby" looks much bigger than initially thought :

Its GeoPolitical "Weight" may reach up to .. 26 EU Member Countries, with the only certain auto-exclusion of the UK, while its Financial "Teeth" are due to grow Faster and cut Sharper, since the entry into force of new Financial Mechanism was advanced 1 Year earlier (2012 instead of 2013), decision-making mechanisms were made easier, strengthened by parallel independent moves from the ECB, as well as Legally Binding Rules, but also by creating a "Regular"  series of Heads of State/Government's €AG Summits at he Horizon.
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    According to the Official "Statement by the €uro-Area Heads of State or Government", (issued here since 6 o'clock in the early morning of Friday), the 17+ core European Countries "agreed to Move towards a Stronger Economic Union", by launching a Double "Action in 2 Directions" : A) "Strengthening Economic Policy Coordination" in particular with "a new Fiscal Compact", and B) by "Developing our (Financial) Stabilization Tools to face Shortèterm Challenges".

    Anouncing "a ReinForced Architecture for Economic and Monetary Union", the €uro-Area Summit stressed from the outset that "alongside the Single Currency", a Strong Economic Pillar is indispensable", which "will rest on an Enhanced Governance", in order "to foster Fiscal Discipline and Deeper Integration in the Internal Market, as well as Stronger Growth, enhanced Competitiveness and Social Cohesion", i.e. aims obviously much larger and deeper than a simple currency...

    - "This will require a New Deal between €uro-Area Member States, to be enshrined in common, Ambitious Rules that translate their Strong Political Commitment into a New legal Framework", the official Statement adds, endorsing almost all the initial Franco-German proposals with a few, comparatively minor changes (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Monday's Sarkozy-Merkel Summit at Elysée palace in Paris).

    + Moreover, "we agree to make more active use of Enhanced Cooperation (allowed for the 1st time by EU Lisbon Treaty), on Matters which are Essential for the Smooth Functioning of the €uro-Area, without undermining the Internal Market", the Summit added.

    - In particuar, "we are committed to working towards a Common Economic Policy", for which, "a Procedure will be established to ensure that All Major Economic Policy Reforms planned by €uro-Area Member States will be Discussed and Coordinated at the Level of the €uro-Area", Heads of State/Government anounced.

    => For this purpose, "€uro-Area Governance will be reinforced", and, "in particular, Regular €uro Summits will be held, at least twive a year", while, at present, "during (at least)  the (Global Financial) Crisis", according to the relevant Franco-German Letter reminded by President Sarkozy, €AG's Summits should be even "Monthly", (i.e. working at a similar pace to that of EU Commission and/or EU Parliament)..

    With the only exception of the Short-term Measures, all these Structural €uro-Area Decisions will be "adopted through an InterGovernemental Agreement to be signed in March (2012), or (even) at an Earlier Date", the official Statement concludes.
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Large impact
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    Marking a much larger than initially expected impact, the €uro'Area's Statement anounces offiicially that, in addition to all the 17 €urozone Countries, it's also other EU Members such as "Denmark, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania" who "indicated their Intention to Join in the process", while "the Heads of State/Government of the Czech Republic and Sweden are Consulting their Parliaments", as well as Hungary, which joined them later-on.

    => The move resulted in a total agreement "by 17 + 7 + probably 2 others" Countries, (i.e. around 26, i.e. all EU Members with he only exception of the UK alone), according to the Formula used by EU Parliament's President, Polish mainstream MEP Jerzy Buzek.  "At least 23", may become Members, and other 3 informed us that they want, beforehand, to consult their Parliaments, added later-on EU Commission's President Jose Barroso. Initially it was only the UK and Hungary which stayed outside, but afterwards Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban reportedly joined the position of 2 other Countries which seem Positive in principle; but want to consult first their Parliament and/or their Coalition : Sweden and Czech Republic, while 6 other Non-€urozone EU Members joined together with the 17 €uroarea Countries , (i.e. in total 23 + 3 = 26), which "wish to become part of the (New) InterGovernemental Agreement"

=> "Once the've consulted their Parliaments, they said that they will be on our {€urozone's) side",  the German Chancellor noted.

>>> This can be practically done "by implementing a Part or the whole" of €urozone's stricter Integration Standards and Rules, Merkel declared, (i.e. giving a Reply which apparently satisfied also Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, convincing him to turn his Central and Historically Symbolic Country for European Unification both in the 18th and the 20th Century*, towards the €uroArea, by replying to his main question about whether Non-€urozone countries should be obliged to apply all those Rules immediately or after they succeed to reach an adequate level of economic Integration within the EAG).
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Meanwhile, speaking on the New Institutional framework of €uroArea's Governance (EAG), German Chancellor Merkel observed that "this is a Process which practicaly includes not only one but several EU Summits", as she said, showing the need for "Regular" €urozone Summits.

+ In fact, the "Breakthrough" anounced by Merkel and the "Historic" change hailed by Sarkozy might be, potentially, even more Important than initially thought : It's not the 1st nor the last time that "parents" may give life to a bigger and differend "Baby" than !they  believed... :

- Already, the transfert of Monetary powers from States to the ECB, had notoriously deprived them of one of the most important tools for Keynesianist policies, pointing, instead, towards Frankfurt, to the point that a precursory, landmark, Historic debate in EU Parlliament in Strasbourg on Europe and the World, with the participation of all main actors, including even of UNO's Secretarry General, had warned, as early as since 1995, that this would incite the People to demonstrate to the Streets asking for Economic policy powers to be transfered to EU level.

+ But now, with the "Golden Rule" provision, "Automatic Sanctions" (unless a "Qualified Majority" is opposed), etc., (See earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReports), even the last remaining States' power for any Keynisianist policy, i.e. that which traditionally may use the Public Debt as a tool for Economic Revival in cycles of low activity, is also, indirectly, transfered to the ECB's level.

=> That's precisely why it becomes, now, of outmost importance to ensure a fully-fledged Democratic Legitimity, and Direct chanels of exchanges of views and interaction with EU Citizens, to the EuroZone Institutions which will, sooner than expected, have also to assume the big Responsibility to start exercicing, in fact, €uroArea's Economic policy.

- Here comes the meaning of the initial Franco-German proposal to establish even "Monthly" €uroArea Summits with Heads of State/Government, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Paris, ELysée palace Bilateral Summit Sarkozy-Merkel, last Monday). Indeed, as Sarkozy initially highlighted in his earier, popular speech at Toulon, on "Refounding Europe", as things stand, the main Democratic, Political and Popular dimension of EU's executive is, in fact, that which can pass through itts "InterGovernemental" aspects, i.e. EU Council, which can cooperate with EU Parliament's elected MEPs  in order to choose, use and monitor various other EU bodies, which, at least for the time being, have only Indirect contacts with EU Citizens, and, therefore, cannot represent Populations to which they are even not proportional, (f.ex. 1 EU Commissioner for Portugal, but also only 1 from Germany,  + etc).. This Franco-German move was, afterwards, futrther explained also by French Prime Minister Fillon, in his inaugural address to the European People's  Party's  (ChristianDemocrats') 2011 Congress in Marseille, where he stressed the need for "a Europe with more Rigour and more Solidarity, to be also more Democratic", i.e. by "taking (its) Decisions by responsible Politicians, democratically elected", as he said, (See our NewsReport from the spot, with Fillon's statements to Journalists in Marseille's EPP Congress, including "EuroFora"). And another interesting touch was added there also by the new Minister for EU Affairs, Leonneti, who stressed the need for EU Council, Governments, EU Parliament and National Parliaments to cooperate together in Direct interaction with the People, in order to avoid abuses of Populism, by being genuinenly and seriously Popular, close to EU Citizens' concerns. I.e. almost as a normal Democratic Government which holds collective meetings regularly.

[By an Historic coincidence, 10 Years are completed now, at this Winter 2011, since a precursor Franco-German Summit at Blaesheim, near Strasbourg, just a Decade ago, in the Winter of 2001, as a fist reaction also to a 12/1999 EU Summit's decision at Helsinki on the controversial and unpopular Turkey's EU bid, (which notoriously blocked EU Constitution's adoption by provoking 2 "No" to EuroReferenda, but wasn't even cited, this time, by the 2011 EU Summit's conclusions on "Enlargement", except only from a critical denunciation of Turkey's "threats" against the EU Council's 2012 rotating Presidency, placed under the Heading "Other issues" together with Syria and Iran.. :  See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport)].

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking to Journalists in a Press Briefing at ..6 o'clock a.m., early Morning, attended by "EuroFora", British Prime Minister David Cameron tried to clarify the reasons for which he not only refused to join the "€uroArea" move, but even Vetoed any EU Treaty Change which  could have provided an apparently obvious Legal basis for that (See also earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReport on the collective Decision to create the €AG) :

Well informed British Diplomatic Sources told "EuroFora" that an attempted "Deal", apparently related to Financial Services, was rejected, while Cameron also stressed UK Government's will to avoid a Referendum in Great Britain, while also "keeping the EU focused on the Single Market"..

The rift however, facilitates €uro-Area's structural changes, obliging them to chose a "Faster" procedure (See infra).
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Earlier, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had already anounced that "we had a profound and difficult Debate on the Legal form which would materialize the adopted Reforms. As you know, we'd prefer an (EU) Treaty Reform with all its 27 (Member Countries). But this wasn't possible, given the stance of our Brittish Friends. So that we'll have, finally, an InterGovernemental Treaty with (the) 17 (€urozone Member Countries), Open to all those who would like to join us : I.e. a Great Number of (Non-€urozone EU Member) Countries declared that they'd like to join us". This could also make things "Faster", Sarkozy observed, since an InterGovernemental Agreement can be concluded much Easier than an EU Treaty Modification. (See other "EuroFora"s NewsReport, herewith).
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- "I came here wanting either of 2 outcomes", revealed Cameron :

- "Either the Safeguards that made a Treaty inside EU Treaty, a New  complexe Legal structure within the EU that makes that Safe,Or, if we couldn't have that, then, allow the others to go their way, with a Treaty of their own, and  make it sure that EU is maintained as a Single Market, and with the Institutions that are involved".

"So, either of there 2 outcomes to me is acceptable. We had to pursue, very dogedly, what is in the National British interests" "A Treaty within a Treaty, without sufficient Safeguards, wasn't right for Britain".

It was "Not easy when you are in a room with many Other People who want to press ahead, who all say "forget about your safeguards, forget about your interests, and all just sign this thing together.

But "It's sometimes the Right thing to say : - "I'am afraid I can't do that, it's not in our National Interest".

+ And, contrary to Sweden, Hungary and others, who at least said that they'll discuss the matter with their National Parliament, the British Prime Minister made it clear that : ", I don' want to put that in front of my Parliament, because I don't think that I can recommend it with a clear conscience. And so, I'm going to say "No", and I'll exercice the "Veto". That is effective right now", he concluded.
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- "Of course there are Risks", he admitted in reply to questions? "But I think that British People should be relaxed"

Because "there is (already), and there has always been a Differend Speeds the EU : I think that there has been always a Europe with Multiple Facets, if you like, many Differend Speeds,

F.ex. "Britain is an absolutely Central Member of NATO, but not of the Shengen movement.  ... We (UK) are at the Heart of NATO, at the heart of (EU's) Single Market, but not in the Single Currency, not in the Shengen, (etc). That, to me, reflects our (UK's) national Interests".
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And "now, these (€uroarea +) Countries will be making their own Rules and a New Treaty"

But, "I've always been very clear : Anything that's Giving more Powers that you have and passing them to another body in Brussels, you shouldn't do that without asking the British People in a Referendum", he reminded

"As I said, one of the consequences of what happened, with the €urozone creating their own New Treaty to put in place these very tough changes in terms of challenging their Sovereignity, that's going to happen Outside the EU, so that means we won't be presenting a Treaty to (the British) Parliament, (because) this is not a Treaty that Britain is decided up to"; so that a Referendum is avoided, Cameron pointed out.
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Financial Services row +
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Moreover, "All existing EU Institutions belong t the EU, to the 27, they are there to do the things that are set out in the (EU) Treaties that we have all signed up to end of he year".

- " And that's an important Protection for Great Britain, and, obviously, in terms of Financial Services, we do have Concerns about what the EU Commission might be doing, particularly Recently, which, we (UK) think that it's not Competitive, its Discriminatory, we think that there are submissions that the Institutions of the Single Market were made in order to protect and underfed against that", Cameron said.
"In terms of (the UK Government's) coalition, the question is  : - "Is it better to have a New Treaty within the (EU) Treaty, a Group of Countries within the 27, using the Institutions of the EU, constructing an illegal Structure, and having the (EU) Institutions serving 2 Masters at he same Time, within the same Structures ?

- "In my view it only worth it, IF you can't get proper Safeguards.(But) we (the UK) couldn'"t get those Safeguards, and, (therefore) it's better to allow these countries to do their thing on their own, but to keep the EU focused on matters of interest to the Single Matrket, on Trade, Investment, and other Rules that flow from that", he concluded.

- " Britain also does have vital interests, because this is about completing the Single Market, in Energy , in Labour and Services , all of which can press forward very much", he explained.

- "They (€uro-Area) have to find their way out of Deficits and existing inside a same Currency with a Country as strong as Germany, and that's where Britain also has imporant efforts to do about Driving the Single Market, completing the Single Market in Energy and Services (i.e. including Financial), as well as Competitive Labour Markets, all of which we can still press forward very much, in the EU : That's the menue of things we've done

- Satisfied, Cameron found that " there is a Good Progress we've been making, and "as I said, I wish collegues Well in the €uroarea, although there were Strong Disagreements in the Discussions we had tonight, they were of Good Nature"

- "People Understanding eachother, National Interests, their positions, etc., and Working relationships will be maintained, we'll work well", he optimistically joined Sarkozy's and Merkel's appraisals.

 -"but, at the end of the Day, my judgement was that this wasn't good enough for Britain, it's better for these Countries to let them have a Treaty for their own", he reiterated.
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Questioned by "EuroFora" on Cameron's earlier anounced plans, in a Wesminster debate, to take something "in exchange" of €uroArea's more towards more Integration, a well informed British Diplomatic source replied :

-  "That's the problem : We (UK) did not take what we wanted .  That's why we said "No"", to the EU Treaty change..
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This fits what Sarkozy had said earlier :

Replying earlier to Questions on what really  happened "with our British friends", French President Sarkzy confirmed "EuroFora"s informations (See our earlier NewsReport from Brussels, already from Thursday Evening) that a main stumbling block were London's demands on "Financial Services".

- "In order to accept an (EU) Treaty change wih all its 27 (Members),,,, "David Cameron asked a Protocol exonerating the UK from certain Regulations  on Financial Services".

- But "we all found that Unacceptable", because "we consider, on the contrary, that a part of World's troubles comes from the lack of regulation on Financial Services, showing the need for a European Regulation", Sarkozy stressed, reminding well known debates and decisions even in the recent 2011 G20 Summit at Cannes (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from and on Cannes).                

           
At any case, nobody could accuse €uroArea Countries to eventually provoke a "2 Speeds Europe", since it's only UK's "Opt-out" from the "€uro" which allows London's current refusal, while, on the contrary, all other EU Members are obliged to enter, sooner or later, in the €uroArea, and, today, its Members are obviously obliged to take Efficient Measures in order to protect it from the galoping Global Financial and Debt Crisis, as he observed in reply to other questions. As already said, "we'd prefer an EU Treaty change with all 27", but this was was opposed  by the UK (See supra), obliging us to advance ahead with the 17 Euroarea Countries and all others who want : "I.e. a 17+ format".

- "Facing a (Global Financial) Crisis which affects the €uro, we can't stay without reacting.  Those who refused €uro are not the best placed in order to tell us how €urozone Members should advance ahead".

- "We can say that with a very great Friendship for Great Britain, and a honorable will : It's up to eachone to choose his Strategy and to have its consequences", Sarkozy concluded vis a vis his friend Cameron.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
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- "We are all in one Boat, particularly as far as Economy and Trade are concerned", so that "Great Britain relies on a Stable Europe", stressed also, later-on German chancellor Angie Merkel.

 - "UK had also decided, 20 Years ago, not to be part of the Monetary Union, but it played a constructive role", reminded Merkel.
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Meanwhile, in an introductory Statement, Cameron reiterated that, to "those countries that sign this treaty, and the agreements they have made tonight, for coordinating their budgets and making sure there is more surveillance of what they do and the fiscal integration that they need, we Wish Them Wel"

"Because we want the eurozone to sort out its problems, to achieve that stability and growth that all of Europe – Britain included – needs. We wish them well in that regard and the agreements they have made tonight, some of those may indeed help them to do that.  
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But, the UK's Prime Minister reminded also that, << I said before coming to Brussels; if I couldn’t get adequate safeguards for Britain in a new European treaty, then I wouldn’t agree to it."

- "What is on offer isn’t in Britain’s interests, so I didn’t agree to it"

- "Let me explain why this matters.  Of course, we want the eurozone countries to come together and to solve their problems.  But we should only allow that to happen inside the European Union treaties if there are proper protections for the single market and for other key British interests. Without those safeguards, it is better not to have a treaty within a treaty, but to have those countries make their arrangements separately.  That is what is now going to happen"

"Britain’s interests in the European Union – keeping markets open, free trade, selling our goods and (+Financial) Services with rules over which we have a major say – all those things are protected.  They don’t change. But this new round of integration and special powers and surrenders of sovereignty for European countries and others that want to join the euro, they will be carried on outside the European Union treaty"
"When we can’t be given ...safeguards in the treaty, it is better this is done by intergovernmental arrangements, outside the treaty and outside the institutions of the European Union.  That is what will happen, and that is what is in Britain’s national interests.

"But the key question for Britain was: do you allow that to happen within the European Union treaties if you are not happy with the safeguards you are given?  I wasn’t prepared to agree that treaty, to take it to my Parliament in that way, and that is why I rejected signing this treaty today...>>, Cameron concluded.
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 - However, "of course, while there were always Dangers with agreeing a treaty within a treaty, there are also Risks with others going off and forming a separate treaty; and we should acknowledge that", he warned.

=> "So we will insist that the EU institutions – the court, the Commission – that they work for all 27 nations of the European Union. Indeed, those institutions are established by the Treaty, and that Treaty is still protected", as he said.
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    + Meanwhile, questioned on the "role of EU Institutions such as EU Commission, Court of Justice, etc", Sarkozy was crystal clear, but also accurate :  - "EU Council's Legal Service clearly told us that, as long as we don't change the (EU) Institutions' Competences, but simply ask to do more with them vis a vis certain EU Member Countries, there is no problem".

EU Commission and ECJ are mainly due to monitor and Sanction eventual Violations of €uroArea's Rules, (which strengthen in practice, making them more Legally Binding, €uro's own principles, already enshrined in EU Treaty).

+ "Eurofora" noted, however, that, concerning other €AG issues, such as "the Preparation and Implementation" of €uroArea's  "regular" Summits, the Franco-German Letter adds also a proposal for "a reinforced preparatory Structure to prepare and implement the decisions taken by the summit and ensuring the current functioning", (in addition to the "Ministerial €uroGroup", which is also maintained).

*EU Summit/Brussels/Angelo Marcopolo/- A Sharp Contrast between an Acceleration of EU Enlargement to Western Balkan Countries, from one side, and strong Criticism against Turkey's "threats" vis a vis EU's institutions, on the other side, clearly appeared in the results of this December 2011 EU Summit in Brussels, which also reminded, indirectly but surely, the fact that Ankara's Government still persists in its failure to meet several elementary obligations, contrary to what EU has officialy asked from Turkey to do since many years : 2005-2011...

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EU positive and Fast to move on Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, etc.

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Croatia's EU Accession Treaty Signature, today, (concerning  a Strategic Country with both Mediterranean Sea and Danube River connexions to mainstream EU crossroads, and with a Population of Croats and Serbo-croats of European Culture), "shows that the Idea of European Unificaton keeps its Atttractiveness", stressed from the outset German Chancellor Angie Merkel, after sitting in the Ceremony close to Ms Jadranka Kosor, Prime Minister, and Ivo Josipovic, President of Croatia, that she saluted warmly.

- "The European Council looks forward to welcoming Croatia as a New Member as of 1 July 2013", in case of "successful conclusion" of the "pending .. Ratification procedures", the official EU Summit's conclusions confirm.     

- EU Council's President, Herman Van Rompuy, found that EU Heads of State/Government had "a Good Debate on Enlargement", as he said, citting several concrete examples of also other imminent Decisions on more Western Balkan Countries :

* F.ex., "Serbia has done very Important Progress", he noted, anouncing EU's "clear aim to give (to Belgrade) a Candidate status by February 2012, due to be confirmed by EU Council by March 2012".

* Meanwhile, "Montenegro", which "already has a Candidate status", adopted various "EU programmes, (which) now have to be fully implemented", in order to succesfully reach the "aim to open Accession Negotiations by June 2012".
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+ Turkey :  EU "Regrets" "threats", Suspension of Chapters' Negotiation, Time Deadlines to meet outstanding Obligations, etc.
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    On the contrary,  speaking about "Turkey" only inside a Differend chapter, that of "Other Items", (which includes also "Iran", with the expression of "Serious and Deepening Concerns over the nature of (its) Nuclear Programme, .. and the failure to meet its International Obligations", as well as "Syria", where EU "remains deeply concerned by the continued use of Military Force by the regime and the Repression of ..People"), December 2011 EU Summit's official Conclusions are strongly Critical :

    => - "The European Council expresses Serious Concern" "with regard to Turkish Statements and Threats", and "calls for full Respect of the role of the Presidency of the (EU) Council, which is a Fundamental Institutional Feature of the EU, provided for in the Treaty", EU Sumit denounces.  

    The move obviously condemns Ankara Governments' repeated threats to provoke a kind of Diplomatic Crisis, during the 2nd half of 2012, by refusing even to .. speak to EU Member State Cyprus when it will take over the Rotating EU Council's Chairmanship, succeeding to Denmark from July 1st up to December 31, 2012.

    This crystal-clear EU Heads of States/Governments' denunciation is a reply to Turkey's blackmail threats, which include also a demand to hastily find and impose any deal whatever, (even if shaky and risking to provoke tensions, conflicts etc. pushing to the Partition of the island), to the complicated Cyprus' political issue, after Ankara notoriously delayed for more than 30 Years without doing anything since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and illegal Occupation of the norhern part of the island, from which more than 190.000 Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced persons are still hindered to Return to their ancestral Land and Family Homes or Properties, usurpated by Settlers massively imported from Anatolia in a blatant  and peristing Violation even of the International Penal Court's rules against "War Crimes", in addition to Turkey's persisting Refusal for any Forensic Investigation in order to find out what really happened to some 1.500 Greek Cypriots gone "Missing" since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion, and continuing Refusal to search to find and punish those Responsible for their Enforced Disappearance, contrary to ECHR's case-law.

    Impossible for an EU of "Values"  to "forget" all that, particularly at the eve of the International Day for Human Rights, which is annualy celebrated each December 10...

    Unless Ankara also aims to slyly impose to the EU, (without even warning, nor giving to the Majority of EU Countries any chance to freely decide and choose), a Culturally, Linguistically and Politically ... "Turkish" EU Chairman as early as since 2012, risking to provoke an obvious "Shock", followed by inevitable political upheavals among EU Citizens whose Large Majority is notoriously opposed to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, by exploiting an obscure and disputed concession made earlier by Cyprus' President Christofias to the Turkish side by accepting to have a "Rotating" Presidency between a Greek Cypriot taken from the 75% of the population and a Turkish Cypriot taken from the 20% of the legal population of the island, according to a formula notoriously practised in Confederations of independent States, but not in any Federal State, which is currently rejected by all other Cyprus' parties, representing more than 70% of Citizens...
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    + Meanwhile, in another important move, the December 2011 EU Council's official Conclusions also "recall its Conclusions of December 2006, which form the Basis for a renewed Consensus on Enlargement", as it stresses.

    This timely comes shortly after French Prime Minister Fillon warned, while speaking to the European People Party's Bi-Annual Congress, earlier this week in Marseille, that "the current context obviously influences EU's Enlargement process, .. which must take into account our (EU's) effective Capacity to Integrate New Members without Weakening our Joint Ambitions", as he said.

    Indeed, the 2011's official reference to he 2006 EU Summit's conclusions on Enlargement obviously concerns the concept of "EU's Capacity to Integrate New Members", which was adopted then after holding "an in-Depth Debate", following the 2 "No" in the French and Dutch Euro-Referenda which rejected a Draft EU Constitution notoriously because this was the only way for a Majority of EU Citizens to oppose themselves by democratic votes to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid.

    - "To sustain the integration capacity of the EU, the acceding countries must be ready and able to fully assume the Obligations of Union membership and the Union must be able to function effectively and to develop. Both these aspects are essential for ensuring broad and sustained public support", the EU Summit's conclusions explained on 2006.

    - "The pace" of EU Negotiations "depends on the results of the reforms in the negotiating country, with each country being judged on its own merits", EU Chiefs had warned since 2006.

    But, in this regard, the European Council "regretted", already in 2006, that "the Pace of Reforms has SLOWED DOWN" in Turkey, as its December 2006 Official Conclusions denounce.

    + The "irreversibility and sustainability" of a Democratic "Reform Process" in Turkey needed, already back since 2006, "determined efforts to intensify" it "and to implement it", in order to "ensure" that it doesn't remain only on paper, warned already the December 2006 EU Summit Conclusions, stressing that this need was of "essential".

    ++ Moreover, making an Important move on the History of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, the December 2011 EU Summit reminded its "September 21, 2005 (collective) Declaration" in reply to Turkish Government's July 29, 2005 provocative, Unilateral Statement against Cyprus, where Erdogan, shortly after a visit to former British Prime Minister Blair in London, (comp. "EuroFora"s founder's NewsReports from the spot), had suddenly started to aggress even by gross slander and threats the New EU Member State, part of the territory of which Ankara still occupies illegally by its 1974 Military Invasion and Occupation Army.

=> In particular, the 2011 EU Summit strongly reminded that its December 2006 Conclusions remained at the basis of an EU consensus on EU' Accession Straregy, and this included wo EU Decisions :

 (A) To "Suspend Negotiations" on 8 Chapters related to Turkey's illegal, discriminatory restrictions against Cyprus, and to Stop closing Chapters until this matter is  settled.

(B) To "Follow up" systematically,  and "Review progress" eventually done" by Turkey to respect its obligations "on the issues covered by the declaration of 21 September 2005" (v. supra).  EU Heads of States/Governments had "invited the (EU) Commission to Report on this  in its forthcoming annual Reports, in particular in 2007, 2008 and 2009", i.e. warning that December 2009 was, for Turkey, a kind of Time Deadline.

Indeed, the EU "Council looks forward to SPEEDY Progress on these Issues", Turkey had been Warned by the EU Heads of State/Government since 2006...
Nevertheless, Ankara did practically Nothing to respect its above mentioned Obligations between EU's 2006 Decision and the December 2009 Time Deadline.

That's why many EU Politicians were notoriously looking upon the 12/2009 EU Summit expecting from it a Strong and appropriate Sanction  for Turkey's persisting Failure to honor its Commitments, (which was, meanwhile, costing a lot to its Victims : f.ex. any Ships and Airplanes using Cyprus' strategic EU island were hindered to cross Turkish Seaports and Airports, etc., while EU's own Credibility was jeopardized).

But, suddenly, the USA-born Global Financial Crisis provokes an "explosion" of some Long-standing Debts in certain Countries, including Greece, provoking a precipitated Change of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Greek Government precisely on October 2009, which gave an opportunity to USA-born, "Socialist" International's Chair, Giorgos Papandreou to start crying too loudly, in a so excessively Alarmist mood that he notoriously Destabilized Financial Markets' Trust so badly that they rapidly Multiplied and seriously Aggravated the Interest Rates for loans needed by the Greek State mainly in order to pay the Salaries/Retirement benefits of excessive, counter-productive Cushy Job holders and/or abusive Political Lackeys which had been scandalously appointed by former "PASOK" Governments, particularly since the 1980ies, inevitably provoking a growing Debt which was "hidden" on 1999-2001 by those (as, f.ex. the USA) who wanted to strike a "Deal" consisting of Turkey's controversial and unopular EU "Accession" Candidate Status, in exchange of Greece's earlier than normal €urozone entry, even without making the necessary Reforms before that, resulting, later-on, to the 2009 Debt "explosion".

=> Surprisingly, it's precisely since that (initially Crucial in Politics)  moment of the December 2009 EU Summit, that the USA-born Chief of the "Socialist International", Mr. Papandreou, practically .. "High-jacked" all EU Summits' attention, time and energy, obliging them to exclusively focus on that fishy "Debt" without dealing with any other issue, during all these last 3 Years, starting from December 2009, and continuing on December 2010, up to now, December 2011, when this latest EU Summit, at last, seems to have found anew its ..memory, after so many years of a strange, provoked "amnesy", starting to remember Turkey's long overdue obligations ...

=> Will it go on, and advance soon enough on 2012, until it reaches also the long-overdue Conclusions from Turkey's persisting Refusal to respect its Obligations, which seriously threatens EU's own Credibility ?

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- After having reportedly started with a more than 45 minutes delay, (apparently due, at least partly, to a previous Trilateral meeting between the Franco-German leaders, President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel, with British Prime Minister Cameron), what might be the most Crucial EU Summit in  recent Years, (See earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReport of Today, by E.M.), given the recent threats by Financial Rating Agencies, is extending longer than expected its Heads of State/Government's meetings very late during this 1st Night.

Scheduled to focus from the start to the preliminary question of whether it might be all 27 EU Countries, or just the 17 €urozone Member States which accept to discuss with a view of adopting, after various amendments, the Franco-German proposals on how to boost €urozone, revealed since Monday afternoon at Elysee palace in Paris by Sarkozy and Merkel, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that event), this crucial 1st Night is supposed to be followed by comparatively rather anodynous and/or already agreed steps by EU Council the next Day, Friday.

Despite that, rumours (and/or jokes) already circulate among the several Hundreds of Journalists following this  EU Summit about a possible supplementary Extension, eventually even during all day long, and risking to spread over the Week-end..

British Prime Minister David Cameron reportedly stressed from the outset UK's refusal to join the €urozone move, eventually adding growing demands to be given something in exchange of his possible "Green Light"  to the Franco-German proposal : Apparently London's demand, in exchange of more or less stronger EU Treaty changes has touched upon "Financial Services".

In addition to the Financial aspects, another delicate issue is that of the Legal form that the desired changes may take, (f.ex. big Treaty modification, unanimous arrangement, if not reinforced cooperation, etc), even if French President Sarkozy has wisely warned to avoid any "Juridism", and better focus on the main substance of the much needed "Political Solution", (See earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReport by EM).

Meanwhile, in a rather unusual move (at least compared to older EU Summits of the years 1990ies, etc), most Journalists have left the EU Council's building, while, on the contrary, several others (including French, etc) remain still faithful..

In another unusual step, while ECB's President Draghi was invited to attend the 1st Night's informal session, however, almost no real nor reliable News leaked yet..., augmenting the suspence.