Today's Date:

EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION

THE MINISTER – I wouldn’t call it a “gamble”, but rather a challenge to be taken up: there was no question of shirking France’s responsibilities at a time when the EU was going through a difficult moment in its history. Europe is our future. Your question brings me back to Europe’s current heavy agenda and the many items which will have to be dealt with successively. But things are moving forward, policies are shifting and I’ve no regrets, quite the opposite. I’ve tackled my job head-on and am constantly answering the questions some of our fellow citizens are asking about the EU’s operation, making things clearer to them and coming back to what’s essential.

THE MINISTER – I don’t share that view. If you’re referring to the “no” vote in the referendum of 29 May 2005, the French didn’t say “no” to Europe but to a certain way of building it. For me, the “no” was more a reflection of doubts, concerns and expectations because, while the results of the French and Dutch referenda have indeed created a new situation, these doubts had started emerging well before and exist in other European countries. If anything, the vote brought them to the surface. The government has taken this result on board and is actively endeavouring to address more effectively our fellow citizens’ concerns and expectations. They want a more concrete, more efficient Europe, one which is more relevant to their daily lives. Moreover, they want to know where we’re going and we’ve got to restate with conviction the nature of our European project: our goal is a political, ambitious and mutually-supportive Europe.

NEW EUROPEAN INITIATIVES

THE MINISTER – Last week, the President convened a meeting with the Prime Minister and 15 ministers to work on these initiatives. As I’ve told you, France wants Europe to address people’s expectations more effectively and for this it’s necessary to identify our concrete projects and set priorities. We’d like the March and June European Councils to translate the major priorities into concrete projects, with a specific work timetable. For me, priority should above all go to initiatives on employment and growth, and European economic governance. And also to research and innovation and the need to invest more in new technology. We must think too about the demographic issue, which is a factor of growth, at a time when European countries’ populations are often falling, with the exception of a few, including France. The European Union must also build an energy policy: it’s a necessity for its independence, to secure its supplies and address the climate change challenge. Finally, let’s not forget about internal security and defence, which are among people’s main concerns and areas in which Europe is set to shoulder more of its responsibilities. As you can see, we’ve got a lot on our plate.

AUSTRIAN EU PRESIDENCY/CONSTITUTION

THE MINISTER – France will support Austria's efforts to help Europe start moving forward again. Last June, the heads of State and government took the extremely wise decision to meet again at the end of the first half of 2006 to decide what to do next. They expressed the wish to see the ratification process continue, modifying, if necessary, its timetable. Since Belgium has just approved the Constitutional Treaty, 14 States have now ratified it. One thing is as certain today as it was yesterday: the 25-, a fortiori 27-member Europe needs revamped institutions to operate more efficiently. And France is proposing initially that the present system is improved on the basis of the existing treaties, since we have to end the inertia, which is harmful. We have identified three priority areas: internal security and justice, external action and defence, and closer involvement of national parliaments in the European decision-making processes. On the latter, we have already made some headway in France since the European Councils are now always preceded by a debate in Parliament, more draft European legislation is submitted to parliamentarians for their opinion and I have brought in sessions for heightening awareness of European issues by taking National Assembly and Senate delegations to Brussels and they'll soon be going to Strasbourg. These meetings are proving highly successful. The French deputies and senators are interested and happy to discover how the European Union is actually working, which is quite different from the clichés circulating in the capitals. French and Italian parliamentarians might in fact meet there one day for a joint working meeting! (…)./.