News of Europe | 12/2023
Dear Federalists readers,
Treaty reform never has been so high on the agenda. Following the SOTEU and the AFCO report, another proposal for EU reform sees the day. The time for change has come. The questions now are "when", and "how".
Happy reading,
And then, everybody started talking about treaty change. Last week, we reported on the State of the European Union, where European Commission Ursula von der Leyen voiced her support for a Convention to reform the treaties and the presentation AFCO report for the amendment of the treaties one day later. And since then, never has the EU bubble been more talkative about treaty reform.
Shortly after the AFCO report was presented, a group of academics and expert (who call themselves "the Group of 12") presented their own report, commissioned by the French and German governments. Their recommendations: profound institutional reforms are necessary to make Europe fit for the challenges ahead, notably enlargement and defence of the rule of law. The report, whose work was led by College of Europe's Olivier Costa and Open Society Foundations' Daniela Schwarzer, explores the possibility of a multi-speed Europe, with a centre most advanced in integration (such as the eurozone today), the EU, Associate members (an intermediate membership that could potentially interest the UK or Norway), and the European Political Community for wider dialogue.
Professor Olivier Costa was a guest speaker at a debate organised by the UEF's Groupe Europe on Tuesday.
What is Poland playing at? Warsaw, one of the first and strongest allies of Kyiv since the start of the war, surprisingly decided to ban Ukrainian agricultural goods from entering the country. And because of their refusal to lift the said embargo, Ukraine will sue Poland (but also Hungary and Slovakia) to the World Trade Organisation, Ukraine’s Trade Representative Taras Kachka announced last week. Let's recall that Poland is in the middle of a political campaign where the eurosceptic ruling party PiS is counting on the support of the rural vote to secure a third term in power.
Is the EC maladministered? That's what the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly seems to think. The European institutional watchdog criticised Wednesday the refusal by the European Commission to publicise several documents related to an accusation of being repeatedly and inadequately lobbied by Nordic interest groups over environmental concerns between 2020 and 2021. Politico's journalist Arthur Neslen had asked the Commission to provide several documents in March 2022, with no success. The European Commission, which should—in theory—keep track of all documents it deals with, contested the interpretation that said documents should include email and text exchanges. Furthermore, that is not the only occasion that the Commission fell under suspicion of "mishandling" important information: journalists and MEPs are still waiting for Ursula von der Leyen to unveil her text messages to COVID-vaccine producer Pfizer's CEO.
EU Conditionality, technical or political weapon? The Groupe Europe, in collaboration with the UEF, invites you to their public debate with Jean Charles Leygues, former director for Regional policy at the European Commission. It will take place on Monday 23 October at 18:30, at the Press Club, rue Froissart in Brussels. To register, contact groupe-europe@federalists.eu.
The European Federalists remember Giorgio Napolitano, former President of the Italian Republic, who passed away last Friday. Napoletano's commitment to the cause of a united Europe was awarded in 2016, as the MFE grated him the "Altiero Spinelli Recognition to the Builders of the Federal Europe."
Congratulations to Chloé Fabre, who became this weekend President of the UEF France. The UEF thanks François Leray for his dedication to serving the Federalist cause in France.
Thank you for your continuous readership. Let us know what you think of News of Europe at this link.
Federalist regards,
Alexandre Météreau
on behalf of the UEF Secretariat