EU so much more than Euro and Finance
The Euro dominates the news and keeps setting the agenda op the European Commission
The Euro and the fire in the financial markets dominate the news. IMF fears debt crisis 'contagion', heads Al Jazeera. Greece's financial woes spreading through Europe, the Global and mail runs. Athens domino effect hits Lisbon, headlines presseurop. Et cetera et cetera. The attention is logical and justified. When a house is on fire, the citizens come together to fight the flames. Even when the fire might be the fault of people living in that house, the others rush in to save what can be saved. As happens there, Europe tries to form a chain and stop the smoke,the heat and the devastation. And yes, valuable time was lost, the wind is rising, the barn where the "Pigs" live (an inexcusable term, I must say) is now in danger too.
EU is so much more than Euro and Finance
So "Of course it's the economy, stupid", as cowboy Bill would say. But Europe is so much more than the Euro and Finance. And regretfully the media often seem to miss out on those wonderful stories.
Breughel was right: the work continues
As in Breughel's fall of Icarus, the farmer keeps on plowing, the work needs to be done. Amazing how people seem to forget that. There are so many excellent initiatives the European Commission undertakes, so much good work done is done. But in in the shadows of the flames. The story is where the crisis is. Will Icarus fall or will he land safely? Yet Breughel was right. In the field, the workers labour on. The farmer is in the center of the picture, not Icarus. A visit to the European press room can be refreshing and positive to see the up side of Europe at work. Amazing to see how much Europe is doing. These are the messages from one day: "Cooperation to help refugees", "Support to European inventors", "Clean energy efficient vehicles", "Healthy workplaces", "Innovation awards", "Collaboration with Japan", "Relations with the Caucasus", "More efficient institutions and administration", … .
The list of actions is impressive, so let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater, even to put out a fire.
EU citizens’ initiative: E-Gov 2.0 in the making
Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth today in the Guardian introduces
the European citizen's initiative. "Bringing Europe closer to its citizens" talks about opening a door to more participation
of EU citizens in policy.
With the digital tools available (and growing) throughout Europe, this initiative is an exciting step towards E-government 2.0.
It is an opportunity for citizens to claim 'their' Europe, instead of blaming Brussels for being self-centered and exclusive.
The EU Commissioner hopes for support of the European parliament and the member countries, to see the first
initiatives start early in 2011. Sounds like an excellent plan.
As mister Sefcovic states, the European citizens' initiative will challenge the complexity and detachment from its citizens
the EU is ofter accused of. But the idea can only work when it is embraced by the EU citizens. As often is the case in a
democratic system, new rules only have the effect on society that the people make of them.
Still, this is an exciting step forward in 'people power' in EU government.The proposal for the first time gives Eu citizens
the chance to call for new European laws.
As the new commissioner says:
It is a concrete example of what we talk about so often in Brussels: "bringing Europe closer to its citizens".
It is my conviction that fostering a lively cross-border debate about what we are doing in Brussels will lead
to better rule-making, inspired by the grass roots. I am very excited about this idea, which I believe represents
a real step forward in the democratic life of the union.
The process is simple: find 1 million signatures from at least 9 EU member states for your new law and Europe will
debate your proposal. People can sign up both on paper and online, making this a reasonable procedure.
The signatures will be verified and the idea checked to see if it falls within the powers of the EU. The next step then
is that the commission has four months to decide how to proceed. It can make a proposal for legislation, take other
measures such as a feasibility study, or can decide that it is not appropriate to take any action. But in the best
democratic tradition, the decision will have to be clarified and communicated in a report that is publicly available.
2020 Strategy holds key to EU future
European Union leaders will place the creation of a 10-year programme aimed at boosting Europe’s competitiveness and economic growth at the heart of their discussion in Brussels next month. Herman Van Rompuy, the EU’s first full-time president, will chair the meeting. On Monday Van Rompuy announced during his first day on the job that he was summoning national heads of government to Brussels for the February 11 event. Tony Barber in the Financial Times adds the balance exercise will be difficult and lists the missed targets of the Lisbon treaty, to put salt in the wound.
The 2020 strategy must be the successor of the ambitious Lisbon agenda, that had sounded promising at the time but left many hungry for results. Former Dutch prime minister Wim Kok said in 2004 “Lisbon is about everything and thus about nothing. Everybody is responsible and thus no one.” The business world and governments need 'a fix', especially since the crisis further destroyed the chances of reaching most objectives. With many Eu countries in deep crisis or even near bankruptcy, with Greece as sad head of the pauper pack, the debate will be complex and with far reaching consequences for all Europeans, especially for the next generation.
Van Rompuy rings a bell and makes a wish
The brand new President of Europe has started work today by ringing the bell at the Brussels stock exchange, as part of his first official work visit as new leader of Europe. A very symbolic place to start: a lot of his worries and headaches will come from the economic markets. Haiku Herman wished for a better year then the financial annus horribilis 2009 and who could disagree with him…
Fireworks over Lisbon
On 1 December 2009, history was written, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force, thus ending several years of negotiation about institutional issues.
The Lisbon treaty sparked debate… the ‘yeahs’ and ‘nehs’ had their say, like in the IIEA Lisbon debate in in Google Studios.
The Treaty of Lisbon amends the current EU and EC treaties, without replacing them. It provides the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and to respond to citizens’ demands.
1. A more democratic and transparent Europe, with a strengthened role for the European Parliament and national parliaments, more opportunities for citizens to have their voices heard and a clearer sense of who does what at European and national level.
2. A more efficient Europe, with simplified working methods and voting rules
3. A Europe of rights and values, freedom, solidarity and security
4. Europe as an actor on the global stage
The Treaty of Lisbon gives Europe a clear voice in relations with its partners worldwide. It harnesses Europe’s economic, humanitarian, political and diplomatic strengths to promote European interests and values worldwide, while respecting the particular interests of the Member States in Foreign Affairs.
This is not a small step in the future of Europe, it is a major leap forward.
So fireworks were in order, with the European Hymn and a Presidential speech!
Two cheers for the EU
On the Open Europe blog, a cynical comment was posted on last weeks EU summit and the choice of UK’s Catherine Ashton as EU Foreign Minister.
They quote Sarkozy to illustrate what they feel is a lack of democratic openness in the EU household.
Asked why Cathy Ashton got the job of EU Foreign Minister, Sarkozy is clear that this was about rewarding her for pushing the Lisbon Treaty through Parliament and seeing off calls for a referendum:
“She played an essential role in getting the Lisbon Treaty through the House of Lords, which wasn’t nothing, you will agree. She is one of the British political figures – though it’s in no way up to me to judge – who most strongly promoted the Lisbon Treaty issue. I’ve also had occasion to express my gratitude to Gordon Brown for the responsibilities he shouldered, but right the way through the Lisbon process – and you know how fiercely it was discussed in the United Kingdom, it isn’t a secret for anyone – she was constantly in favour of it, she supported him courageously. And, after all, we were very happy to find British political women and men to get it through when a section of the British political class was asking for a referendum, as you know as well as I do.”
No doubt the blog has a point. But Europe is a process in the making, with good and less “open” days, pushing the Open Europe team to further unhappiness. Being a critic and cynic is easier than being a builder. Europe needs to be more open and precise in its policies and budgets, very true. And there are abundant examples of projects and budgets gone wrong. No doubt.
But Europe remains a valuable proposition and many try to construct valuable initiatives in building a better Europe and a better world. The processes and spending need to be followed and monitored up close, and think tanks like this one do have a valuable role to play here. But if you start out as “anti-block” and start every though with “NothankEU”, all you think, say and do is contaminated by this island attitude. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Two cheers for the EU, not Three. But two anyway!