The RomeMadrid axis could be strengthened

The time is no longer where the Franco-German couple feuded ideas to live Europe. Proposals for the Constitution of the rut are currently non-existent, and few projects on the agenda of the day, as the beginning of a Europe of energy, did not, so far, the expected results. Apart from the Belgium, where the Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, has launched the idea of a deepening of the Union around the euro area, without great ECHO for the moment, the other "historic European" not shine by their activism.

Paradoxically, the only proposals likely to feed the debates of the next European meetings come from the France, which is yet made small since the failure of the referendum, in May 2005. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, must make a statement on the future of the Union Thursday in Berlin, for its part, but it has apparently not consulted its partner, the France, before making public his speech. For the time being, the main capitals are cosy and some await the outcome of the presidential French. Review of retail.

Germany: ready

for 2007

Tomorrow, Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor, should reveal his vision of Europe to the Bundestag. According to his entourage, it would be ready "to take initiatives to revive European construction". The Germany reunited, which ratified the European Constitution by Parliament about a year ago, believes that the draft Constitution might be a new referendum in France vote, this time with a majority of "Yes". But before that, it would be ready to discuss a revival of the Constitution with a tightened text. But to the Auswärtiges Amt, the Quai d'Orsay Berlin, it remains very discreet about what is meant by "tightened text." Only certainty can be today: the Germany will actively prepare its Presidency of the Europe of the first half of 2007 and feels ready to restart only the Community machine, even without its French partner, captured by its electoral calendar. His breakthrough rapid and spectacular on the international scene in General, European in particular, gave him wings and encouraged him to believe in a revival of the Union from simple and concrete ideas. "The weight of the Germany in Europe is sufficiently important for its only initiatives are able to make a difference", it said in the entourage of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs.

France: modest proposals

Hampered the idea to participate in the debate that it is the origin of the crisis that undermines Europe since the referendum failed in May 2005, the France still decided to make its stone to the slow reconstruction of unit European. It has submitted to its partners, end of April, a series of proposals, very modest, to improve the functioning of the Union, "constant treaties", i.e. without encroaching on the content of the Constitution. It is, for example, that the twenty-five agree, now, to unanimously pass the majority for certain subjects such as the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, the fight against racism, the adoption of minimum standards for the protection of workers in cases of dismissal. It also proposes that the twenty-five improved their budgetary coordination and that the Eurogroup has a representation in international monetary bodies. Finally, Paris wants the Union can develop "a response capacity" in international crisis situations and to strengthen the role of the High Representative for External Affairs of the Union. However, it is likely that all of these ideas will be not accepted.

Spain: "low profile".

The "European fever" Spaniards fell. In the press, the debate on the future of Europe is absent, and the commemoration of the day of Europe may go unnoticed. "Then the Spain was the first Member State to ratify the Constitution by referendum, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has failed to seize this historic opportunity to play an active role in European construction," said the parliamentary spokesman for the Catalan nationalists of Convergence and Union (CiU), Josep Antoni Durán i Léida. The Socialist Rafael Estrella, in charge of European issues in Parliament, is more optimistic: "if it gives the impression of us interested less in the future of the Union, it is because of the saturation caused by the debate on the Constitution, which has held very long news.". Another explanation: while the Spanish economy has the wind in its sails, the Spaniards are less anxious than the French or the Germans and calmly see the future of the Union.

If Madrid has maintained in recent months a "low profile" on the construction of Europe, it is also because the Union has entered a "period of reflection", after the rejection of the Constitution. "Zapatero would not play the donors of lessons, which have been poorly accepted by his European colleagues, including some, such as the France, have more pressing issues to resolve", said Rafael Estrella. Rest for the Spanish right and left, "current institutions must be reformed." Longer term, variable geometry Europe is undesirable but it will be probably inevitable, think the socialist MP. In any case, the PSOE and the PP agreed on a fundamental point: "The Spain always be in the forefront of integrated Europe."

Italy: the Prodi asset

Use its report with Brussels to give back to the Italy an active role in the revival of European integration, it is one of the priorities of the future head of the transalpine Government, Romano Prodi. In reality, the former President of the European Commission does little to the possibility of a French serious revival of the European Constitution before the presidential election of 2007. But it is demonstrating that Europe and transatlantic Alliance must be resolutely complementary. Unlike Silvio Berlusconi, who had largely focused on its axis with George w. Bush, Romano Prodi set its good relations with the countries founders, and also the Spain, to give a new impetus to the role of the Italy in Europe.

"A stronger Europe is necessary for a balanced transatlantic partnership." "This would strengthen the political dimension of the Alliance and adapt its role to today's challenges," he wrote in a forum published by "The world" on 12 April. Although he remained relatively quiet on European issues during the campaign, Romano Prodi knows he can rely on the willingness to "close cooperation" of the Spanish Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. It was the first to acknowledge his election victory in him proposing to work together to relaunch the European process. The Rome-Madrid axis could be strengthened. For Romano Prodi, as to its likely future Minister of economy, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, the crisis of the European Union and the French "non" to the Constitution are more related to a social malaise and a lack of leadership to the content of the Constitution or a defect in the institutional model.

European Commission: three tracks

In a communication entitled "An agenda for the future of Europe", that it must adopt tomorrow, the Commission proposes three main avenues for action. First remove the last obstacles to the achievement of the internal market. "Why is it so difficult for a European to obtain insurance in another Member State", asked her, in announcing the beginning of 2007 a report on the objectives achieved and the measures still to be taken.

Those who accuse him of neglecting the social dimension of the Union, it then proposes to carry out an audit, drawing up a balance sheet of the "European social realities" to start then an Agenda for solidarity, in parallel to the completion of the great market. Already, it envisages the creation of a map that guarantees the basic rights of all citizens of the Union.

The third site is security. Brussels believes that a more ambitious counter-terrorism policy and better control of the external borders of the Union are desired by the Europeans and also proposes a more coordinated approach to immigration policy. The Commission also proposed yesterday to "communitise" and insert in treaties of justice and home affairs matters currently within the intergovernmental cooperation. Finally, the community Executive intends to launch a debate on the "absorption capacity of the Union" to continue its enlargement, while affirming the "value-added" that represents the arrival of new countries.

In institutional matters, it recognizes that "there is not, at this stage of consensus on the way forward" and hope that, next year when the anniversary of fifty years of the Treaty of Rome, twenty-five adopt a solemn political declaration to relaunch European integration.