Kolumni Europe´s Worldissä Lissabonin sopimuksesta 24.2.2008
Letters to the Editor on Jean-Dominique Giuliani’s “There’s a brave new Europe to be glimpsed in the Reform Treaty”
by Anneli Jäätteenmäki
Sir,
As Jean-Dominique Giuliani says, Britain has dealt a serious blow to European integration by rejecting the Charter of Basic Rights as part of the Reform Treaty. The UK position not only undermines the foundation of the EU’s commitment to human rights, it also impedes the development of a new pan-European culture of respect for human and social rights that could have promoted greater peace, democracy, justice and solidarity. Therefore, I share the opinion of British liberal MEP Andrew Duff that Britain’s opt-out is a serious political misjudgement.
The UK also damaged the Union’s ability to strengthen its role on matters of internal security by avoiding any Treaty commitment to greater police and judicial co-operation. This leads Britain another step away from the rest of Europe and reduces the chances that the Union will be able to increase its global influence in this area.
With regard to EU immigration, I share Giuliani´s view that it is vital to harmonise national policies. However, I would like to point out that it is also important to give immigrants the same basic rights as other EU citizens, including the right to vote - and stand as candidates - in European Parliament and local elections. It is shameful that millions of immigrants in Europe are denied these basic rights. How can the EU speak out on human rights, and presume to lecture other nations on their records, unless it guarantees basic rights for all at home?
I must, however, disagree with another of Giuliani’s conclusions. What makes him think that economic and monetary integration are largely accomplished? Only 13 out of 27 member states belong to the eurozone and, 20 years after the launch of the single market, whole sections of our economies still need to be opened fully to cross-border trade. The EU services directive, for example, was a good starting point but no more. There are still many obstacles to the free movement of people, goods, services and capital. Even on the internet, only 6% of EU shopping crosses national boundaries.
We are already facing many challenges that were unforeseen when the single market project began, including enlargement, ageing populations, energy security and climate change. Perhaps, in an era of dramatic global change, the single market will never be complete. We will certainly need a more flexible approach as our international boundaries continue to be redrawn and the global market throws up unexpected threats and opportunities. Now the dust is settling on the Reform Treaty, perhaps the EU can at last turn its attention to these fresh challenges of the future.
Anneli Jäätteenmäki
Vice-Chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs
