Safeguard National Interests By Pooling Them - Barroso "Safeguarding national interests is the responsibility of member states [of the EU] …whether there is a [financial and economic] crisis or not." This remarkable admission was made by the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, in answer to a written question from Ashley Mote MEP, independent, SE England. However, Mr Barroso deduced that such safeguarding of national interests has resulted in their being pooled by sovereign nations for the greater good of the EU. Mr Mote’s written question arose out of concerns about protectionism recently voiced by governments and leaders of industry and commerce. The Commission’s disappointing and highly defensive reply, which chooses to miss the essential point altogether, is shown in full below. WRITTEN QUESTION E-1066/09 Subject: EU relevance as depression bites What is the Commission’s reaction to the increasingly widespread civil unrest in numerous EU nation states? Does it not reflect the entirely understandable and escalating need for national interests to be protected in times of financial hardship and unemployment? Given that the emerging depression will be seen by millions as a fight for survival, a war against economic disaster, is not self-preservation and therefore self-interest inevitable? Does the Commission fully understand that the catastrophically damaging enforcement of millions of words of EU regulations and directives, which were intolerable at the best of times, do nothing but add to present problems? When does the Commission plan taking an axe to its forest of so-called "law"? Is that not the EU’s own best route to self-preservation, or will the EU be left to collapse under the weight of its own irrelevance as the depression truly bites to the bone? E-1066/09EN The Commission is deeply concerned about the social impact of the financial and economic crisis. It has already taken a number of initiatives to help alleviate the impacts on citizens and their families, for example, by frontloading expenditures under the European Structural Funds. It also welcomes the Czech Presidency's initiative to organise an Employment Summit (in May 2009). The Commission hopes that the Summit will confirm a shared commitment by Member States, Community institutions, social partners and other interested parties to work together with a view to providing concrete solutions to problems faced by Europe's citizens and workers. This, it believes, is the best way to alleviate the risks of social disruption. The Honourable Member's questions seem to imply that the protection of national interests needs to be justified by exceptional circumstances such as financial hardship and unemployment. The Commission finds this surprising. In fact, safeguarding national interests is the responsibility of Member States, independently of whether there is a crisis or not. Member States have decided that the best way to do so is to pool sovereignty and exercise it jointly, breaking down barriers between them that impede economic growth and development, and open up to the world. This policy choice reflects the lessons learned from the disastrous impact that the economic nationalism and protectionism of previous decades had had on Europe and the world economy. The success of the Single Market shows that Member States made the right choice: in 2006 alone, the Single Market created additional wealth worth 240 billion €. This would not have been possible without a framework of Community law. The Commission therefore has no intention of "axing" European law, as suggested by the Honourable Member. Rather the Commission considers that the quality of the legal environment is now more important than ever. With that in mind, the Commission will continue to evaluate the stock of existing legislation and adjust it where needed, while making sure that any new legislation it proposes is proportionate and that the benefits justify the costs. Don’t hold your breath.
27 April 2009
by Ashley Mote (NI)
to the Commission
Answer given by Mr Barroso
on behalf of the Commission To respond to, or comment on this Email, please email ashley.mote@btconnect.com
Monday, 27 April 2009
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