Paris, Berlin or Brussels... Credible, accountable and democratic government is not on the cards for the European Union or the eurozone, so what can we expect from the European Council Thursday and Friday, 8 to 9 December 2011?
Among many, many, let us look at some of the best contributions on the web.
BBC News Europe offers Q&A: Key EU summit on debt crisis, a clearly written introduction to main issues.
Place du Luxembourg presented a well documented and more detailed analysis in The latest Franco-German Agreement: Is it enough?
Jean Quatremer has been busy on the Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, covering important aspect of the euro crisis. Among his contribution is Vers une union budgétaire européenne.
Credibility is not confined to market players and credit rating agencies, but the solutions offered by the national leaders are evaluated by EU citizens. On Social Europe Journal, Fredrik Jansson notes that support for euro entry has dropped to less than ten per cent in Sweden, opposition having climbed to 88% (an increase of about 40 percentage points in two years).
FT Alphaville notes condemnation from Martin Wolf: Merkozy failed to save the eurozone.
The FT Brussels blog notes a Twitter rebellion against automatic sanctions, by the commissioner @LaszloAndorEU.
For Tsigos the crisis is fundamentally political. A truly united Europe can only be a Federal Europe, with a directly elected European government for the European citizens.
On Europe 27 etc, Jamel de l'Or takes on the unstable duopoly Merkozy, in L'Union budgétaire – pour qui ? Russian style democracy or the United States of Europe?
***
It is hard to be an optimist, or even optimistic, these days.
Update 7 December 2011: Just saw this blog post a few minutes old, by Place du Luxembourg on why intergovernmental solutions do not work.
Ralf Grahn
Showing posts with label Merkozy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Merkozy. Show all posts
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Merkozy euro proposals face EU members and Standard & Poor's
Even if the web is overflowing with reports and comments on the Merkozy proposals, there is cause to record the primary sources from the last two days.
Paris
The German chancellor Angela Merkel met the French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace in Paris Monday, 5 December 2011. The Elysée web pages offer a video recording of the press conference (with French voice-over for Merkel) and a French transcript on the same page:
Conférence de presse conjointe : Mme Angela Merkel et M. Nicolas Sarkozy
The detailed proposals will be presented in a letter to president Herman Van Rompuy Wednesday, and subsequently published. They want a new Treaty, preferably among the 27, but between the 17 eurozone countries and open for others if needed, Sarkozy said before outlining the six proposals to be detailed in the letter.
Sarkozy sees that Franco-German unity leads towards a Europe of governments. Eurobonds are no solution to the problems.
According to Merkel, mandatory (golden) budget balance rules are needed, which can be verified by the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to make the governments respect their engagements regarding the stability and growth pact. The desired changes cannot be made without Treaty change.
Merkel described the monthly Euro Summits as thematic meetings dedicated to growth issues - labour law, innovation, development of infrastructure – in a spirit of convergence and competitiveness.
The leaders want clarity in principle during the European Council Thursday and Friday, and the conclusion of the Treaty amendments in March 2012.
The leaders dedicated a joint statement to the credit rating agency Standard and Poor's (in French and English):
Communiqué conjoint franco-allemand
Berlin
The German chancellery offers a web page with the six proposals outlined:
Strategie zur Überwindung der Staatsschuldenkrise
Germany has now reinstated ”economic government” (Wirtschaftsregierung) to describe the monthly Euro Summits.
The German transcript of the joint press conference:
Pressestatements von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und dem französischen Staatspräsidenten Nicolas Sarkozy (5 December 2011)
The recent German government policy statement:
Regierungserklärung: Ziele und Leitlinien für den Europäischen Rat (2 December 2011)
The technical decision of the eurozone finance ministers to expand the the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) through leverage:
EFSF: Maximierung beschlossen (30 November 2011)
Brussels
The president of the European Council and of the Euro Summits, Herman Van Rompuy, has invited the heads of state or government. His invitation letter 6 December 2011, a day after the meeting between Merkel and Sarkozy, refers to draft conclusions prepared on the basis of his interim report, unpublished.
Intergovernmental Europe
Above we saw the state of main sources for the public, news reports and opinion: an outline of the unfinished the Franco-German proposals and the unpublished interim report by Van Rompuy.
Intergovernmental Europe remains true to its role as an underachiever with regard to democratic rule, good governance and transparency at the European level. The citizens of the EU are promised even more intergovernmentalism in the future, instead of credible, accountable and democratic government.
Standard & Poor's
However, one essential piece we have to add is the flurry of negative assessments from the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's between 5 and 6 December 2011 for eurozone sovereign debt and the EFSF. Since there are several announcements and new developments are possible, I link to the thematic page:
European Sovereign Ratings and Related Material
For those in a hurry the synthesis announcement offers the main picture. It promises a review based on the upcoming European Council 8 to 9 December 2011, with possible downgrades of one notch for the strongest governments and eventually two for the rest:
Standard & Poor's Puts Ratings On Eurozone Sovereigns On CreditWatch With Negative Implications (5 December 2011)
***
I have put the eurozone on democracy watch, with negative implications.
Ralf Grahn
Paris
The German chancellor Angela Merkel met the French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace in Paris Monday, 5 December 2011. The Elysée web pages offer a video recording of the press conference (with French voice-over for Merkel) and a French transcript on the same page:
Conférence de presse conjointe : Mme Angela Merkel et M. Nicolas Sarkozy
The detailed proposals will be presented in a letter to president Herman Van Rompuy Wednesday, and subsequently published. They want a new Treaty, preferably among the 27, but between the 17 eurozone countries and open for others if needed, Sarkozy said before outlining the six proposals to be detailed in the letter.
Sarkozy sees that Franco-German unity leads towards a Europe of governments. Eurobonds are no solution to the problems.
According to Merkel, mandatory (golden) budget balance rules are needed, which can be verified by the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to make the governments respect their engagements regarding the stability and growth pact. The desired changes cannot be made without Treaty change.
Merkel described the monthly Euro Summits as thematic meetings dedicated to growth issues - labour law, innovation, development of infrastructure – in a spirit of convergence and competitiveness.
The leaders want clarity in principle during the European Council Thursday and Friday, and the conclusion of the Treaty amendments in March 2012.
The leaders dedicated a joint statement to the credit rating agency Standard and Poor's (in French and English):
Communiqué conjoint franco-allemand
Berlin
The German chancellery offers a web page with the six proposals outlined:
Strategie zur Überwindung der Staatsschuldenkrise
Germany has now reinstated ”economic government” (Wirtschaftsregierung) to describe the monthly Euro Summits.
The German transcript of the joint press conference:
Pressestatements von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und dem französischen Staatspräsidenten Nicolas Sarkozy (5 December 2011)
The recent German government policy statement:
Regierungserklärung: Ziele und Leitlinien für den Europäischen Rat (2 December 2011)
The technical decision of the eurozone finance ministers to expand the the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) through leverage:
EFSF: Maximierung beschlossen (30 November 2011)
Brussels
The president of the European Council and of the Euro Summits, Herman Van Rompuy, has invited the heads of state or government. His invitation letter 6 December 2011, a day after the meeting between Merkel and Sarkozy, refers to draft conclusions prepared on the basis of his interim report, unpublished.
Intergovernmental Europe
Above we saw the state of main sources for the public, news reports and opinion: an outline of the unfinished the Franco-German proposals and the unpublished interim report by Van Rompuy.
Intergovernmental Europe remains true to its role as an underachiever with regard to democratic rule, good governance and transparency at the European level. The citizens of the EU are promised even more intergovernmentalism in the future, instead of credible, accountable and democratic government.
Standard & Poor's
However, one essential piece we have to add is the flurry of negative assessments from the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's between 5 and 6 December 2011 for eurozone sovereign debt and the EFSF. Since there are several announcements and new developments are possible, I link to the thematic page:
European Sovereign Ratings and Related Material
For those in a hurry the synthesis announcement offers the main picture. It promises a review based on the upcoming European Council 8 to 9 December 2011, with possible downgrades of one notch for the strongest governments and eventually two for the rest:
Standard & Poor's Puts Ratings On Eurozone Sovereigns On CreditWatch With Negative Implications (5 December 2011)
***
I have put the eurozone on democracy watch, with negative implications.
Ralf Grahn
Monday, 5 December 2011
Merkozy fiddles while eurozone burns
The president of the European Council and the Euro Summits, Herman Van Rompuy, and the leaders in the 25 other European capitals sit twiddling their thumbs, waiting for Merkozy.
What makes it even more absurd is that few expect the German chancellor Angela Merkel and the French president Nicolas Sarkozy to sort out much of their mutual differences today, let alone the euro crisis.
The Elysee blog of Arnaud Leparmentier (Le Monde) discusses the issues on the table and the persisting malfunction of the Franco-German ”engine”:
Accords et désaccords entre Merkel et Sarkozy, juste avant leur énième rencontre (4 December 2011)
The hopeless machinations of ”sovereign Princes” continue, instead of the needed rise to the federal level, records Jean Brochier.
Laurence Boon states on Telos that an intergovernmental eurozone just does not work.
Trisha Craig notes the impassioned plea for German action from the Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski (via The Economist).
If it does not work, try more of the same, is how Andy Carling sees the EU institutions and the political parties reacting to the existential crisis.
***
Despite the imminent bankruptcy of intergovernmental Europe and the Franco-German duopoly, the two (and other) national leaders refuse to change tack.
Our national leaders never have time for EU democracy, but there is always time for another eurozone failure.
What impact can we expect from the European Council 8 to 9 December 2011 in the real world?
Ralf Grahn
What makes it even more absurd is that few expect the German chancellor Angela Merkel and the French president Nicolas Sarkozy to sort out much of their mutual differences today, let alone the euro crisis.
The Elysee blog of Arnaud Leparmentier (Le Monde) discusses the issues on the table and the persisting malfunction of the Franco-German ”engine”:
Accords et désaccords entre Merkel et Sarkozy, juste avant leur énième rencontre (4 December 2011)
The hopeless machinations of ”sovereign Princes” continue, instead of the needed rise to the federal level, records Jean Brochier.
Laurence Boon states on Telos that an intergovernmental eurozone just does not work.
Trisha Craig notes the impassioned plea for German action from the Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski (via The Economist).
If it does not work, try more of the same, is how Andy Carling sees the EU institutions and the political parties reacting to the existential crisis.
***
Despite the imminent bankruptcy of intergovernmental Europe and the Franco-German duopoly, the two (and other) national leaders refuse to change tack.
Our national leaders never have time for EU democracy, but there is always time for another eurozone failure.
What impact can we expect from the European Council 8 to 9 December 2011 in the real world?
Ralf Grahn
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Euro: Waiting for Merkozy
Heads of government (or state) in most European capitals may think about Samuel Beckett, as they wait for Merkozy.
At least publicly their common president of the European Council and the Euro Summits, Herman Van Rompuy, has not published proposals to overcome the euro crisis.
More than anything, we seem to experience a cacaphony of silence from the national capitals and Brussels.
Franco-German positions
Monday, 5 December 2011 at 13:30, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy receives the German chancellor Angela Merkel for a working lunch at the Elysee Palace.
What, if anything, are they going to bring to the table?
Friday, 2 December 2011 the German Parliament (Bundestag) heard and debated the government policy statement presented by chancellor Angela Merkel (Regierungserklärung durch die Bundeskanzlerin zum Europäischen Rat am 9. Dezember 2011 in Brüssel).
The Toulon election rally speech by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and the government statement by Merkel have been widely reported and commented. Here are a few attempts to compare the two messages, ahead of the meeting between Sarkozy and Merkel in Paris tomorrow, 5 December 2011.
Charlemagne published two blog posts on the common euro problem, but two differing visions (part I and a more detailed comparison in part II).
On the Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Jean Quatremer discussed similarities and differences. The European Council may continue until Sunday.
Le Figaro offers another synthesis of the Franco-German views.
Bystanders
In addition to David Cameron and Herman Van Rompuy the list of bystanders ahead of the European Council (#EUCO on Twitter) 8 to 9 December 2011 seems long, with few exceptions to date.
One of the few government sources I have stumbled across is the Swedish foreign minister and euroblogger Carl Bildt, whose message is more Europe, but not more Europes. Splitting Europe into new groups is not the way forward.
Ahead of the General Affairs Council (GAC) 5 December 2011 the Swedish government is positive about the need for improved budgetary discipline, but reserved about the need for treaty changes. The customary annotated agenda offers some background, but no concrete proposals.
The Swedes may be happy to be outside the eurozone right now, as The Economist reports, but how realistic is Bildt's hope to evade the consequences of being a euro outsider by reaching effective decisions unanimously and then ratifying them in 27 EU member states?
The government of Finland refers to president Herman Van Rompuy's proposals on ways to strengthen the economic union, improve fiscal discipline and deepen the euro area's integration. The debate will concentrate on the possibility of limited Treaty changes or corresponding arrangements. The President’s proposals are based on the mandate he was given in the October meeting.
This text and one about the General Affairs Council are written as if Van Rompuy's proposals existed (and only the public was kept in the dark).
The Irish Independent sees prime minister Enda Kenny capitulating to Merkel on budget rules, anticipating that the European Central Bank would build a ”firewall” to give eurozone governments time to repair their finances. Another national referendum looms on the horizon. Here Van Rompuy is said to be preparing his proposals, with national (Irish) officials participating in the process.
***
The markets and EU citizens need democratic and sufficient powers, good governance and transparency to the European level from Merkozy.
The governments, too, are waiting for Merkozy, but with varying apprehensions and reservations, based on their national agendas.
Ralf Grahn
At least publicly their common president of the European Council and the Euro Summits, Herman Van Rompuy, has not published proposals to overcome the euro crisis.
More than anything, we seem to experience a cacaphony of silence from the national capitals and Brussels.
Franco-German positions
Monday, 5 December 2011 at 13:30, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy receives the German chancellor Angela Merkel for a working lunch at the Elysee Palace.
What, if anything, are they going to bring to the table?
Friday, 2 December 2011 the German Parliament (Bundestag) heard and debated the government policy statement presented by chancellor Angela Merkel (Regierungserklärung durch die Bundeskanzlerin zum Europäischen Rat am 9. Dezember 2011 in Brüssel).
The Toulon election rally speech by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and the government statement by Merkel have been widely reported and commented. Here are a few attempts to compare the two messages, ahead of the meeting between Sarkozy and Merkel in Paris tomorrow, 5 December 2011.
Charlemagne published two blog posts on the common euro problem, but two differing visions (part I and a more detailed comparison in part II).
On the Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Jean Quatremer discussed similarities and differences. The European Council may continue until Sunday.
Le Figaro offers another synthesis of the Franco-German views.
Bystanders
In addition to David Cameron and Herman Van Rompuy the list of bystanders ahead of the European Council (#EUCO on Twitter) 8 to 9 December 2011 seems long, with few exceptions to date.
One of the few government sources I have stumbled across is the Swedish foreign minister and euroblogger Carl Bildt, whose message is more Europe, but not more Europes. Splitting Europe into new groups is not the way forward.
Ahead of the General Affairs Council (GAC) 5 December 2011 the Swedish government is positive about the need for improved budgetary discipline, but reserved about the need for treaty changes. The customary annotated agenda offers some background, but no concrete proposals.
The Swedes may be happy to be outside the eurozone right now, as The Economist reports, but how realistic is Bildt's hope to evade the consequences of being a euro outsider by reaching effective decisions unanimously and then ratifying them in 27 EU member states?
The government of Finland refers to president Herman Van Rompuy's proposals on ways to strengthen the economic union, improve fiscal discipline and deepen the euro area's integration. The debate will concentrate on the possibility of limited Treaty changes or corresponding arrangements. The President’s proposals are based on the mandate he was given in the October meeting.
This text and one about the General Affairs Council are written as if Van Rompuy's proposals existed (and only the public was kept in the dark).
The Irish Independent sees prime minister Enda Kenny capitulating to Merkel on budget rules, anticipating that the European Central Bank would build a ”firewall” to give eurozone governments time to repair their finances. Another national referendum looms on the horizon. Here Van Rompuy is said to be preparing his proposals, with national (Irish) officials participating in the process.
***
The markets and EU citizens need democratic and sufficient powers, good governance and transparency to the European level from Merkozy.
The governments, too, are waiting for Merkozy, but with varying apprehensions and reservations, based on their national agendas.
Ralf Grahn
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
EU from Merkozy to democracy?
In the short term the Christian Democratic Union CDU of Germany wants to straitjacket the eurozone into a stability union, but long term the leading government party of chancellor Angela Merkel is prepared for a Convention to contemplate some reform steps towards economic and political union in Europe.
Eva en Europa discusses the necessity of eurobonds and of representative European institutions to express the will of European citizens (in Spanish).
After the repeated failures of intergovernmentalism – including the Merkozy tandem saving Europe every two weeks - the Spinelli Group manifesto for a democratic and federal Europe is a rallying point for a future where EU citizens set the course of government through elections to the European Parliament.
Ralf Grahn
Eva en Europa discusses the necessity of eurobonds and of representative European institutions to express the will of European citizens (in Spanish).
After the repeated failures of intergovernmentalism – including the Merkozy tandem saving Europe every two weeks - the Spinelli Group manifesto for a democratic and federal Europe is a rallying point for a future where EU citizens set the course of government through elections to the European Parliament.
Ralf Grahn
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