[A-List] EU integration struggles

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

Giscard urges EU to create post of foreign secretary

Convention chief seeks strong voice on world stage

Ian Black in Brussels
Friday September 13, 2002
The Guardian

Valéry Giscard D'Estaing, president of the convention on the future of
Europe, called on the EU yesterday to become a more coherent actor on
the world stage, better able to handle transatlantic relations and
crises such as Iraq.

"We need to develop the instinct of acting together," the former French
president said, contemplating the disarray typified by Britain backing
President George Bush on Iraq while Germany rejects war at any price.
"The first reflex is still national."

Improving the EU's ability to play a global role is one of the toughest
challenges to his convention, which sets out today on its task of
drawing up a constitution which defines the powers of an enlarged union
of 25 or more members - and can be understood by its 500 million people.

Speaking to the Guardian in Brussels, he said the convention's great
debate was well on track, and revealed detailed proposals to enhance the
role of the EU foreign policy chief, currently the Spaniard Javier
Solana.

The present cumbersome title, "high representative for common foreign
and security policy", should be replaced by an "internationally
recognised one", such as EU secretary of state or foreign minister, and
the holder should have a seat on the European council, beside the heads
of government and the president of the European commission.

That would help answer the former US secretary of state Henry
Kissinger's question: whom should Washington call when it wants to talk
to Europe?

Mr Giscard expects foreign policy to remain broadly in the hands of
member states but wants new arrangements to coordinate their work with
that of the commission, which has its own responsibilities and a
sizeable budgetfor external relations, trade and aid.

The convention, which comprises representatives of the 15 current and 13
candidate states, and members of the European and national parliaments -
105 in all - is also giving high priority to the delicate issue of
economic control.

Here the problem is how to enforce the Maastricht treaty's stability and
growth pact, the "rule book" of the eurozone, which has implications for
national control of budgets and deficits.

The convention has 10 working groups on specific elements of a
constitutional treaty, for which it will publish a table of content in
the middle of next month.

It is dry and complicated stuff, but there is no disguising the
enthusiasm of this life-long europhile, born in Coblenz in 1926, or the
powerful impression he has made on the conventionnels .

His close relationship with the former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt
paved the way for the single currency but he is no federalist and he
retains a healthy respect for the nation state.

"There are those who fear the creation of a superstate, but I don't
think we have at any moment given the impression that that is our
intention."

He is delighted by Britain's new support for a simple EU constitution
that will clarify relations between Brussels and national capitals and
by Tony Blair's enthusiasm for the convention, despite his government's
initial reservations and concern about the effect on a euro referendum.

He certainly needs every gram of his considerable charm and diplomacy,
since nothing less than the future of the European project is at stake
and the divisions are sharp and visible.

The main battle line is between those who want more power for the
commission and parliament and the champions of the nation state.

This week Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal clashed with France,
Spain and Italy about the idea that the EU needs a high-profile
president serving a five year term: something the smaller countries see
as a recipe for domination by the big ones.

Other draft constitutions are already in the air, but Mr Giscard said he
had to be patient and careful before producing his own formal proposals.

His strategy is to seek the middle ground, leave the toughest questions
to the end, and draw up a document that cannot simply be ignored by
governments when they negotiate a new EU treaty in 2004.

Not everyone will be satisfied, but those who are prepared to settle for
half a loaf will outnumber those who would rather have none, a key
adviser predicted.

"We have to put forward proposals that are supported by the convention
and will not be rejected in advance by governments," Mr Giscard said.

"Political groups can put forward their ideas, which can stand
criticism. We cannot. We have to first build up a consensus that will be
accepted."