The Bilderberg Group (hardly an “elite” group) never issues any reports of its findings, so this report is leaked - by whom and to further what cause is speculation. Is it to boost this arch-federalist man’s chances, or to harm them?
Meanwhile Open Europe carries the following:- ---
“Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that Van Rompuy was an architect of the Flemish Christian Democrats' federalist manifesto, which calls for more EU symbols in town halls, schools and sporting events. The manifesto says: "Apart from the euro, also other national symbols need to be replaced by European symbols (licence plates, identity cards, presence of more EU flags, one time EU sports events".
Additionally, following the No votes to the European Constitution in 2005, Van Rompuy gave a speech to the Belgian Parliament, in which he said: "We go on with the ratification of the European Constitution in all our parliaments, but we need to admit that for the moment the project is over. However, this doesn't mean that we cannot continue to work in a creative way in the direction which the Constitution points in. I don't object if we break up the Constitution into smaller parts, as long as we continue to work in the same direction: in the direction of more Europe."
This man may be a nonentity but he’s a dangerous nonentity. In addition he’s a Belgian and since the Belgians’ own country is locked in a seeminly impenetrable constitutional crisis ambitious politicians give it a miss and go straight for running Europe!
Christina
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EU OBSERVER 16.11.09
Top candidate debates EU tax at elite dinner
ANDREW RETTMAN
Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, a top candidate for the new European Union president job, laid out his views on future EU financing at a dinner of the secretive Bilderberg group last week.
The event took place at Val Duchesse, a former priory on the outskirts of Brussels, on Thursday (12 November), with guests including Belgian industrialist and Bilderberg chairman Etienne Davignon, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and luminaries from the worlds of international politics and business, according to Belgian broadsheet De Tijd.
The Belgian leader is reported to have said in a speech that: "New resources will be necessary for the financing of the welfare state. [We’ve already paid for ours - you pay for yours! -cs] Green tax instruments are a possibility, but they are ambiguous: This type of tax will eventually be extinguished. But the possibilities of financial levies at European level must be seriously examined and for the first time the large countries in the union are open to that."
Mr Van Rompuy's official spokesman later told the Belga news agency that: "The Prime Minister ... indicated that it is necessary to carry on thinking about structural financing at the European level."
The leak to De Tijd, coming just days before the EU aims to choose its first permanent president, could damage Mr Van Rompuy's chances.
Proposals about imposing fees on environmentally-damaging behaviour or skimming small levies off financial transactions have been mooted before.
But the suggestion that the new EU president might interfere in national taxation policy is anathema to anti-federalists in EU countries such as the UK or Denmark.
Mr Van Rompuy's participation at the Bilderberg dinner will also give ammunition to critics of the EU top job selection process, which takes place via confidential consultations between EU leaders and informal social events.
The Bilderberg group is an elite club of aristocrats, politicians and businessmen dating back to 1954, which likes to meet away from the public eye and which is widely disliked by pro-transparency campaigners.
EU parliament chief shows his cards
Meanwhile in a related development, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek over the weekend backed former Spanish leader Jose Maria Aznar to take the EU president post.
"As far as I know, Aznar is not currently interested in this kind of position. But I think it would be good for the EU if he changed his mind and submitted his candidature," Mr Buzek told Spanish daily ABC in an interview published on Saturday.
Mr Buzek met Mr Aznar along with the current Spanish government on a trip to Madrid ahead of Spain taking up the rotating EU presidency in January.
The conservative Spanish politician is from the correct political family according to the prevailing wisdom that the centre-right will take the EU president job while the centre-left will take the EU foreign minister position. But he was a firm advocate of the Iraq war, which remains a highly-divisive topic in the EU.
The speculation is set to see an end on Thursday (19 November) when EU leaders gather in Brussels to decide the top appointments. Other names in line for the presidency post include Dutch leader Jan Peter Balkenende and his Luxembourg counterpart, Jean-Claude Juncker
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