More excellent analysis by Stanley Crossick about the different EU jobs up for grabs in 2009, and the different timetables for agreement for all of them. Crossick is very clear in his writing, but the overall situation is very complex – One President would surely help citizens to understand? I feel most sorry for Joaquin Almunia, who might loose his job at the start of 2009, despite having done nothing wrong. Plus there’s a new name in the ring for European Council President – Peter Sutherland.
Archive for the ‘Analysis’ Category
Timetable games – and citizens are meant to understand?
Thursday, February 21st, 2008Reinfeldt getting jittery about European Council President, demands co-chairing
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt addressed the European Parliament on Tuesday 19th February and he expressed concerns that with a new President of the European Council (more from EUObserver) there will be no explicit EU tasks for the Prime Ministers of incoming Presidency countries. He has hence floated the idea of some sort of co-chairing arrangements. If someone like Reinfeldt is expressing such concerns, would that rule out a strong candidate for the European Council chair role? Plus if there was only One President of the EU, I’m sure he or she would be more accommodating of Member States’ requests in this regard than a European Council President wanting to develop a powerful position.
Kissinger gives cryptic answer to the ‘one call’ question
Monday, February 18th, 2008Henry Kissinger has been interviewed by Spiegel and – among other things – he gives a rather cryptic answer to the “Who do I call” question:
SPIEGEL: Thirty years ago, you asked for one phone number that could be used to call Europe.
Kissinger: … and it happened. The problem now is: Nation-states have not just given up part of their sovereignty to the European Union but also part of their vision for their own future. Their future is now tied to the European Union, and the EU has not yet achieved a vision and loyalty comparable to the nation-state. So, there is a vacuum between Europe’s past and Europe’s future.
I assume Kissinger means that the EU now has its act together on foreign policy? I would like to know whether Kissinger would have any clue about which institution actually does what – the question that is essentially th subject of this website. The second part of Kissinger’s answer is also interesting – as Member States have committed their future to the EU, the EU has at the same time failed to inspire loyalty. Maybe a strong, accountable President might help a bit?
Stop Blair – half right
Monday, February 18th, 2008
European Tribune has managed to generate plenty of press coverage for its ‘Stop Blair’ petition – more precisely they are against Blair being nominated as President of the European Council. While the reasons European Tribune states against Blair’s candidacy are genuine concerns (Iraq war, relations with the USA, UK not in the Euro or Schengen) there are other factors in favour of a candidate like Blair – his charisma, drive, determination, speech-making ability…
However, more profoundly, European Tribune has ignored all of the inter-institutional dynamics at play with regard to the nominations for the top positions in 2009. If there is to be a stong President of the EU, he or she needs to be President of both the European Commission and European Council. That’s the only way to ensure democratic legitimacy of the post, and to prevent the domination of inter-governmental decision making.
As it currently stand, European Tribune can organise as many polls as they like against Blair, but as the Heads of State and Government nominate the President of the European Council there’s no guarantee that citizens are going to be listened to.
Stanley Crossick looks at the legitimacy of the Commission
Monday, February 18th, 2008
In a clear and well argued post, Stanley Crossick at Blogactiv looks at the procedure for appointing the President of the European Commission, and the College of Commissioners. Consider how nuanced that system is, with its democratic legitimacy thanks to the involvement of the European Parliament, and set it against the complete lack of democratic accountability of the President of the European Council. Also bear in mind how closely the Parliament looked at Rocco Buttiglione in 2004 and you see it’s willing to take its mandate to scrutinise the Commission very seriously.