newsitems

An impressively strong, rare quasi-Unanimous EU Unity on 2010 - 2020 Economic Strategy, obtained in EU Parliament at the same time that a Wide Majority supported an ambitious text on Ec. Governance, evolved in parallel with Political Manoeuvering among MEPs Groups this week in Strasbourg, while an exceptionaly brief EU Heads of State/Government Summit in Brussels adopted EU 2020 Strategy, and advanced on EU Governance, but left final decisions for October-December.

For the 1st time in EU Parliament's Press Conferences' History, all the Presidents of 4 mainstream Political Groups of MEPs, from EPP/ChristianDemocrats' (who are the more Numerous) Joseph Daul of France and Liberals' Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium, up to SocialDemocrats' Martin Schultz and "Greens"' Rebecca Harms, both of Germany, exeptionally joined all together on Tuesday to present to Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", a Common Position of the Large Majority of MEPs they represent, both on EU's Economic Strategy and Governance.


June's Unity appears as a striking difference to the previous situation of May, when Socialists and "Greens" had initially opposed EPP/ChristianDemocrats and Liberals' main Economic choices, attempting to push a very Critical stance against the majority of EU Heads of State/Government, (most of which are, indeed, supported by EPP and Liberals), but failing to pass through, because EPP/Liberals received, then, also the support of the new Conservatives/Reformists' Group, mainly led by MEPs from the Party of new British Prime Minister Cameroon, succeeding to form a strong, absolute Majority inside EU Parliament against Socialist/Greens' positiions. (See previous, relevant "EuroFora"s Publication of May).

But this time, EPP's President Daul appeared proud when he stressed to "EuroFora" that, what was New in the latest developments, was that, "now, we succeeded to build a Unified position in EU Parliament" on EU's Econolmic Policy, etc. The main thrust of this change in Socialists/"Greens"' stance, is that they finally accepted to support both a Rigorous, Public Expenditure reduction goal, in order to progressively diminish Public Debt, and the generally desired Growth aims. According to some other sources, this Change would be due mainly to the fact that even ...Socialist Governments in Spain, Portugal, etc. recently started to plan and make hard Economies on tax payers money, in order to try to meet Financial Markets expectations, particularly after they recently threatened to downgrade these Countries' Budgetary assets' ratings..           

- EU "Member States should increase their economic Performance by introducing Structural Reforms in order to Optimise Public Expenditure, (and) Decrease Bureaucracy", as well as "prevent ... a long-lasting period of economic Stagnation, (by) .. implement(ing), at the same time, a Strategy aimed at accelerating Sustainable Economic Growth", the Resolution on "Strategy", indeed, stresses from the outset.   

However, on the other hand, Socialists/Greens tried to explain their U-turn also by the fact that, this time (i.e. on June), a 2nd, separate EU Parliament's Resolution was added, in agreement with the EPP and Liberals, focusing on a rather ambitious EU "Economic Governance", which should be mainly depending on EU Commission, and not too much on EU Heads of State and Government :  - "Indeed, it's mainly because we added a 2nd Resolution on Governance based on the EU Community method (i.e. giving an important role to EU Commission) that both us and the Socialists agreed, this time, with the EPP and the Liberals", said the "Greens"' co-Chairwoman, Rebecca Harms, to "EuroFora".     

- In addition to a "Bolder Economic Governance" "needed" in "EuroZone", i.e. among the 16 Euro Currency Countries, also all the 27 Member States strong "EU needs to reform its system of Economic Governance" in order "to ensure the Implementation of its ... Europe 2020 Strategy", including by "giving to the Commission a proper and stronger Responsibility", while, at the same time, "reinforcing the Democratic Legitimacy of EU Governance, .. through a stronger .. involvement of EU Parliament", stresses, indeed, the 2nd Resolution.


This move was made in particular after the main results of EU's Franco-German core's Monday Night Summit in Berlin, where President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel reportedly agreed to institutionalize an EU Economic Governance, while keeping also always possible a simplified EuroZone's Summit, "whenever needed", as EPP's Head Daul observed.    


Shortly after EU Parliament adopted, on Thursday, the 2 Joingt Resolutions on EU's Economic Strategy and Governane in Strasbourg, EU's Heads of State and Government in Brussels officially adopted the "2020 Strategy", and "agreed" on the first "Orientations" for "a much Stronger Economic Governance", involving both EU Commission and EU Member States, with an obvious priority for the latter, but left final Decisions, after proper consultation also of EU Parliament, for October's Summit, (due to Timely focus also on "Innovation" EU policy).      

But, another important Change between May and June 2010 EU Parliament's stance (Comp. Above), was, meanwhile, also the Fact that the new, mainly Brittish-Polish "Conservatives/Reformists" Group, while always supporting the EU "Strategy" paper, (as it had already done since May 2009), on the contrary, was pushed to drop the EU "Governance", 2nd paper, which was added only from June.

In fact, a real Power Game seems to be Socialist and Green Group's attempts to avoid that a Center-Right absolute Majority might be cimented inside EU Parliament, (according to EU Citizens' votes on 2009 EU Elections, and practically confirmed at May 2010's Vote on EU Economic Strategy : See "EuroFora"'s 5/2010 Reporting), by searching a way to stir Divisions between former EPP Group MEPs, who could have a Decisive Power in 2009-2014 if they Unify together as in the Past, but lost this opportunity for the moment, after a Separatist move of some British and Polish MEPs who set up a small ECR new Group, agreeing with EPP on many, but not all issues.

After witnessing on May the fact that a Center-Right Unity of EPP/ChristianDemocrats and Liberals, together with Conservatives can be Strong enough to start using an absolute Majority inside EU Parliament on EU "Strategy", (See "EuroFora"'s relevant NewsReport of May 2010), the Socialists and the "Greens", apparently found, indeed, on June another way to .. divide anew EPP+Liberals from the Conservatives, by pushing forward a particularly ambitious "EU Governance" agenda...

However, nobody should underestimate EPP/ChristianDemocrats' (the Biggest MEPs Group's) Head Joseph Daul's new capacity (based on EPP's Brillant June 2009 EU Election Results) to shape main EU policies by artfully playing the role of a strong, central Political "Pivot", around which several punctual Coalitions can be forged, sometimes towards its "Left", other times towards its "Right" side, but always looking right Ahead to EU Future's Horizon.

EU Commissioner on Justice and Home affairs, experienced former Swedish EU Minister and MEP, Cecilia Malmstrom, replying to "EuroFora"s questions in EU Parliament on the New, revised USA - EU draft agreement on the controversial issue of EU Citizens' Bank Data communication to US Authorities on anti-Terrorism grounds, admitted that, despite new, and more protective safeguards, it's always "difficult" to find out whether an abuse might have been committed, in this, as well as in other such cases, and gave practical advise to EU Citizens on how to try to protect their personal Bank Data by using their new Access, Rectification and Redress Rights, which have been now reportedly recognized in the new draft EU - USA deal :

Malmstrom was speaking in a Press Conference organized at EU Parliament in Strasbourg in order to anounce a New, revised EU Draft Agreement with the US on a "Terrorism Financing Tracking" Programme, commonly known as "SWIFT", a previous and controversial version of which had been recently rejected by a Majority of MEPs who had called for Changes able to protect elmentary EU Citizens Personal Data privacy rights.

 - "EuroFora"s question referred to Malmstrom's anouncement "about (EU Citizens') Personal Data Protection", where she "spoke about Rectification (in case of Error), Erasure, etc", saying that SWIFT would have been brought now in line with fundamental EU Legal Standards. However, "a naive, but practical question" should be clarified, we observed :

 

   
     - "How could (EU) People know if there is, eventually, any (Personal) Data given (to US Authorities), in order to check if there is any Error, or not ? And which Institution" (is in charge in such cases) : "Is EuroPol the main (EU) Watchdog" (as Malmstrom had cited for EU checks on USA Officials' activities in Europe in general), or is there (also) anything else ?", asked "EuroFora".

 

      - "So, that is, of course, very Difficult to know", the competent EU Commissioner admitted, regarding the practical point on EU Citizens' awareness whenever there might be a need to check their Personal Data Protection in real practice, that was raised by "EuroFora"s question.

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    Meanwhile, former EU Parliament's Rapporteur on the EU - USA "SWIFT" Agreement, Liberal MEP Jeanine Hennis Plasshaert, (see her Replies to "EuroFora"s Questions at the eve of February 2010 crucial Vote : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/swift.html), has been just elected to the Dutch Parliament at a key position :

    Jeanine stood as High as at the 4th place in the list of Dutch Liberal VVD Party, which has just succeeded to become the Biggest party in the Netherlands, winning 31 MPs, and, given the overall recent Parliamentary Election Results, it's probable that she might find herself soon returning back to her familiar area including Personal Data Protection and SWIFT, but, this time, eventually from the EU Council's side, as Minister...

    Obviously, such a move could fit well also with the larger Personal Data Protection growing needs, particularly in the galoping developments concerning the new Digital Society, i.e. the area of competence for experienced EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who is also a Dutch Liberal... (Comp. EU Commissioner Kroes' earlier statements to "EuroFora", already send to Donors/Subscribers in previous Draft NewsReports).

    The former EU Parliament's Rapporteur had initially been sharply critical against the pre-existing situation on the EU - USA "SWIFT" issue, arguying that EU Citizens' Personal Data and privacy had been dangerously exposed to eventual abuse without the elementary EU safeguards, and, therefore, should be rejected by EU Parliament. (See "EuroFora"s relevant, previous publication, cited supra). But afterwards, she had praised US vice-President Joe Bident's recent commitment to build a new EU - USA Agreement, which, while being still efficient for real anti-terrorism concerns, nevertheless, it could also become much more respectful of EU Citizens' elementary privacy rights.

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    However, Malmstrom's advise about going "to the Treasury" in order to find practical ways to protect EU Citizens' personal Bank Data in relation with the draft EU - USA deal on a new SWIFT II, apparently referred only to the US Department of Treasury, an Executive office of the US Federal Government established to manage government revenue. Something which seems to leave open, at least for the time being, any question about how this could be done in Europe in the future, since it may be soon necessary for the EU to develop also its own European Bank account supervision system when it might be justified by anti-terrorism needs; But there is not yet any generally known EU Treasury able to help protect EU Citizens' Bank Data privacy..  

 

 By a Symbolic coincidence, the 1st USA's Secretary of Treasury was appointed by Historic US President George Washington, the same year that the 1789 French Revolution opened in Europe a way for the creation of Modern, Democratic Nation-States formally recognizing basic Human Rights, and was a Key Personality :  

 

- Alexander Hamilton, the famous Political Philosopher and Pamphleteer who had notoriously struggled with many landmark Publications (known as "The Federalist Papers") to make the American People aware of the fact that, in order to definitively avoid any recurrence of other counter-productive and dangerous Economic and/or Political Divisions, provoking internal Conflicts and/or Civil Wars, etc., the United States of America should advance well beyond a merely "Con-federal" structure of the Past, towards a future "Federal" one, starting by putting in tune, all together, their Economic, Fiscal and Budgetary policies in a joint, unified move serving their common General Interests.

I.e. in a similar Direction towards which, mutatis mutandis, EU Parliament's MEPs  and EU Council's Heads of State/Government are currently trying to build, in one way or another, in Europe, (surprisingly United this week), in view of the 17th of June 2010's EU Summit, in order tio succesfully pave EU's way out of the Global Crisis, towards a new era of strong, sustainable and inclusive Growth in Europe's "2020 Strategy" Horizon...

(Comp. relevant, recent EU Parliament's Newsdrafts prepared for "EuroFora"'s Donors/Subscribers).

Despite curiously alarming Press reports, a Coherent and 95 MPs Strong Majority of Center-Right pro-European political forces in Belgium seems possible after the June 2010 Elections in the Country which will Chair the EU during the crucial semester of July - December next.

The Biggest Winner : NVA Party, which came clearly 1st, can, indeed, form the biggest political Block, together with some other Parties with similar Political views (fex. on Econmy, Belgium's Future and Turkey's controversial EU bid, etc), which could easily re-join the ChristianDemocrats (as it had already done in the Past), and gather around it Liberals from both French and Dutch-speaking areas.

The move would also be in line with Recent Developments on the Conservatives-Liberals recipe, currently used by Governing Coalitions in Germany, the UK, indirectly even in France, Italy, etc., and possibly also in neighbouring Netherlands after the latest election, (See relevant "EuroFora"'s publication).

An official meeting of EU President Van Rompuy (former Belgian ChristianDemocrat Prime Minister himself) with the current Belgium's out-going PM Leterme, etc., on Friday, June 18, might indicate what direction is best in order to allow an efficient EU Chairmanship in 2010. Several Relevant Facts are obviously converging :

"New Flemisch Alliance" NVA is the only Winner of 2010 Elections who gets more than 1 Million Votes, gaining the bigger number of MPs : 27. It is both pro-European and against Turkey's controversial EU bid. As for the "Flemish interest" party,  it keeps 12 MPs.  New "Popular Party" (opposed to Turkey's controversial EU bid, at the French-speaking part) wins, for the First time, more than 84.000 votes , and gets 1 MP. This is also the case for "Dedecker's List", which keeps 150.000 Voters and one (1) of its MPs. Together, they win 41 MPs, composing the Biggest political Block.

(I.e. more than the two Socialist parties, who follow only at the second place, with only 39 MPs :  - 2 less).

If they join anew the ChristianDemocrats CVD, which keep 17 MPs, (and have had several leaders reportedly opposed to Turkey's controversial EU bid, such as Van Rompuy, Leterme, etc., even if the view of Thyssen, abandoned now by many voters, seem unclear), they arrive up to 58 MPs.

Liberals from French-speakers (MReformists), which keep 15 MPs, admit that Turkey's controversial EU bid raises many Question marks, and are ready to accept that Ankara stays out of the EU if it doesn't meet EU's criteria. SImilarly, Dutch-speaking Liberals ("Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats), who seem well aware of the Problems that Turks oppose to Integration, keep 13 MPs. Adding them all, would bring together 86 MPs.

Belgium's Parliament having 150 MPs in all, by bringing together these 86 MPs, more or less opposed or at least critical against Turkey's controversial EU bid, can obviously from a Large Center-Right Majority.

Eventually, this, already large and coherent Majority, could be extended even to the French-speaking "Humanist Democratic Center", which keeps 9 MPs, with a program calling to "insist" on the need for Turkey to respect EU Conditions, and "in case of failure", to offer Ankara only a "Privileged Partnership".

A good thing for Belgium and Europe is that such a 95 MPs strong Majority would be mainly  pro-European, uniting together MPs from both the French and the Dutch-speaking communities.  and much more Politically Coherent than any other alternative :

Indeed, an hypothetical NVA - Socialists' tactical Cohabitation would obviously be Fragile and Unstable, because Divided, with Differend Socio-Economic views and Opposed positions on Turkey's controversial EU bid, so that it would soon collapse, particularly since there are such Disagreements on crucial EU issues.

On the contrary, a Center-Right Majority based on  NVA's victory, joining together also  ChristianDemocrats and Liberals (See supra), would naturally be much more Coherent, and therefore much more Stable and Efficient, both on Internal and on EU policies, (Comp. supra).

Because, in fact, the Turkish controversy is a "crossroads" linked with many Other Issues :  As the New Belgian "Popular Party" (which was created just a few Months earlier, on November 2009, but already succeeded to start electing an MP for the 1st time) puts it, (reminding a largely shared Analysis also in biger EU Countries, as France, etc): - "Two Contradictory trends divide the UE today : Some conceive the EU as a large common Market extending towards other Countries as Turkey. But the opposite trend, is Federalist and defends a Political Union. These contradictory views are reflected inside various EU institutions, often pushed into Inertia and an obvious Democratic Deficit. .. We defend the creation of a (Political) Europe composed by a Center of gravity of Countries which desire to Advance further than an merely Economic Union", as "the only way to avoid Dilution of the European Project in an Enlarged union, and to have a say, tomorow, in the World-wide debate between big powers". Human Rights, Democracy, as well as Economic/Social Development, Culture and Historic Identity, EU Citizens' support, etc., could obviously be also added in this regard.

The 2 "Green", Environmentalist Dutch and French-speaking small Parties could naturally join, here or there, some Selective points among the policies of such a Center-Right Majority, particularly on anti-Corruption, anti-Bureaucratic and BioEthical issues, where usually "Greens" are opposed to Socialists almost everywhere in Europe and Worldwide. 

These Facts seem so Obvious, that it's strange that some other Media don't even cite these New Possibilities for a New Center-Right Coalition Government in Belgium, curiously preferring to suggest some other, too artificial and weak recipes, more tactical than strategic....

The New thing about a Center-Right Majority with 95 MPs out of 150 in all, which was made possible after the June 2010 Elections, would be to put an end to counter-nature cohabitation between the Center-Right and Socialists, and, respecting People's democratically expressed choice, could shape a New, Coherent EU strategy.

Interesting EU-wide effects may come from Political Changes made possible after June 2010 Slovak Election, judging from recent statements to "EuroFora" a.o. by Leaders of Christian-Democrats and Liberals, where Criticism of Bureucracy and of Turkey's controversial EU bid can be solid parts of a New Coalition Government, able to attract also other minor parties totalling 79 MPs, compared to only 71 (i.e. - 8 MPs less), from which only 62 MPs are sure, for the former Socialist-led Government Coalition, which shrinked.

However, Socialists (who will try first to form again a Government) claimed that any Adverse Coalition "wouldn't last even one (1) Year", pointing to the fact that the Center-Right needs to unite together at least 4 different Parties in order to form a New Government, which will obviously need a strong "ciment" in oder to bind them together for a full new term.

But it would naturally be hard for the Oppositions' Front Runner, Iveta Radicova of the SDKU, (particularly after losing almost -33.000 Voters and - 3 MPs in the 2010 Elections compared to 2006), to keep 4 Parties together by merely repeating that "if Turkey fullfils the (EU) Conditions, then EU will have to negociate Accession", as she had done back in 2008, i.e. by ignoring the New big Political Developments of May 2007 French Presidential Election, June 2009 EU Parliament Election, and September 2009 German Election, (etc), which were all won by Political Leaders clearly opposed to Turkey's controversial EU bid, precisely as all her main Winnnig Partners (who, on the contrary, succeeded to augment more Votes and MPs in 2010) also do, as well..

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Christian Democratic Movement KDH, led by former EU Culture and Education Commissioner Jan Figel, augments its Votes from 191.443 up to 215.755 (nearly 9%) and wins +1 MP more, growing at 15 MPs, while the Democratic and Christian Union SDKU of Iveta Radicova, partly keeps most of its previous results with some 390.000 Votes (15,4%) and 28 MPs. When they are United together, these 2 Christian Parties can total  43 MPs.

Figel, speaking earlier to "EuroFora", observed that, in the Past, "Enlargement was one of EU's great success, although now, Enlargement - Fatigue is visible. So, we have to continue Enlargement on the basis of Strict Conditionality", "As far as Turkey is concerned, in particular, EU Negotiations are an "Open-ended process. There ara No automatic answers or solutions", (as EU Council and Parliament have decided in recent years).  But, "when we look into all current Issues which are Criticized, or evidently Problematic, in this (EU - Turkey) process, I think that Comitments from the side of Turkish Authorities are needed.  That's why, "the idea of Privileged Partnership between EU and Turkey, may clearly and realistically reflect one of the potential answers, (specially) if it's not able to complete (EU) Conditions in full", he concluded.

- Thus, "given the Long-lived Problems" on Ankara's controversial EU-bid, today, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) "considers appropriate that Turkey is offered a Special Relation in the form of a Privileged Partnership", instead of a Full EU Membership, Figel's Party Program for the 2010 Election explicitly stresses.

Figel's stance can be a strong, concrete Link to the new Liberal ("Freedom and Solidarity") SaS Party's emergence, which wins +22 MPs in 2010, which, (after having supported unsuccesful candidate Radicova in the 2009 Presidential election), stresses now that it wants to free EU from Bureaucratic deviations and from Turkey's controversial EU bid :

 - Indeed, Liberal SaS's 2010 Official Program explicitly excludes any Full EU Membership for Turkey, prefering, on the contrary, "only" a "Special, Associate" status, "in the model of the European Economic Area".  I.e. apparently near to what French President Sarkozy, in agreement with German Chancellor Merkel, has already advocated ! (See relevant"EuroFora"'s earlier NewsReports)


Anti-Bureaucratic criticism stands also high (No 1 !) in new Party "Most-Hid" which aims to merge inside Slovakian politics the interests of Minority Speakers of Hungarian, from a neighbouring country where criticism of Turkey's ambitions vis a vis Europe seems deeply enracinated in History since the struggles for the Liberation of all Hungary from the Military Occupation of the former Ottoman-Turc Empire, at the beginning of Europe's "Enlightenement" century :  Adding 8,12% of Votes and 14 MPs, "Most-Hid" can be part of a Coalition with the other former Opposition parties, totalling all together more about 45% of the Votes and 79 MPs.

Such a possible New Government Coalition may find support, at certain key points, also by another 6% or 7% of Slovak Voters, therefore advancing well beyond an Absolute Majorty of more than +51% of voting Citizens : Indeed, a third newcomer, Rightist "People's Party - Our Slovakia" got, for the 1st time, almost 34.000 votes (+1,33%) but no MP, i.e. more than the older "Union Party for Slovakia", which kept nearly 18.000 votes. Quasi-Homonym, but differend (member EU Parliament's Liberal Group) "People's Party - For a Democratic Slovakia", which just kept 109.450 Voters without MPs this time (with 4,32%) of Votes, has also formally excluded "any recognition of Turkey' controversial aim to accede into the EU at least as long as the Turkish Military Occupation persists in (the Northern Territories) of Cyprus".  

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Isolated, the outgoing Socialdemocratic party HZDS, despite its 34% of Votes and 62 MPs, falls short of a majority after its Former partners fell down, either being eliminated, (as another Hungarian Minority Party, which loses - 20 MPs, failing to reach the 5% threshold) , or diminishing, as the discredited Nationalist SNS Party which drops down to only 9 MPs, accused of Discrimination and Corruption.

However, the Turn-out in 2010 Parliamentary Election, (which determines the Government), was Higher than Past Year's 2009 Presidential Election (that Socialist party-supported candidate Gasparovic had won in front of ChristianDemocrat candidate Iveta Radicova), attracting almost 55% of Slovak Citizens voting now, instead of only 51% last year, (i.e. an Augmentation of more than + 4% in Participation on 2010).

To put it in a nutshell : All other Center-Right Parties which Win more Votes and/or MPs in the 2010 Election compared to 2006, (5 or 3 Parties respectively), are more or less Critical of Bureaucracy and of Turkey's controversial EU bid. So that if Radicova (whose party stands first, but with only a short edge) would really want to build a solid New Government Coalition, she would obviously be well advised to find a way to include this Healthy Popular Criticism, able to link both 4 Slovak Parties' New Goverment by Christian-Democrats and Liberals in 2010, and all Slovakia to 2007 - 2009 French, German and EU Parliament Elections, among a wider range also of other convergent recent EU developments, of obvious crucial importance for EU's Future.

- Significantly, it's, indeed, by "looking forward to working with them for a better Future for Slovakia and for Europe", that the Chairman of EU Parliament's largest political Group, EPP, Joseph Daul MEP, "congratulate(d) Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) and Ján Figel' (KDH)"?

- "The centre-right EPP parties have won the general elections in the Republic of Slovakia and now have the opportunity to lead a new government. I congratulate them on this success... The citizens of Slovakia deserve to have a new government, free of cheap, false promises", declared Daul, observing that "the centre-right parties in Slovakia have proven in the past that they can lead Slovakia out of economic difficulty and provide the country with much needed Coherent and Capable Leadership",