Of course, it’s not just the Commons that is back this week, as the European Parliament has returned from its summer break. And, thanks to the ever helpful Angelika Schneider in the ALDE office, Liberal Democrat Voice is able to keep up to date with the efforts of Liberal Democrat MEPs.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted the first European-wide law on the protection of crime victims, to improve support for them. The new EU law sets minimum standards for all 27 countries, such as free access to medical and specialist support, explanations on how foreign justice systems work, help in their own language and information on progress of their case. Victims will get expenses and compensation when appropriate, whilst specific needs must be recognised and protection orders such as injunctions for domestic violence victims must be enforced across Europe.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats were voting against proposals in the European Parliament to restrict stem cell research. The report, drawn up by a UK Tory MEP, calls for stricter requirements on voluntary and unpaid donations of tissues and cells for the purpose of medical research. Health spokesperson, Rebecca Taylor, noted;
The UK is a world leader on life sciences. The European Parliament’s restrictive conservative philosophy puts our research centres at risk and could drive away high quality science abroad, for example to India. Regenerative medicine relies on a steady supply of stem cells.
And, not to be missed, the week saw the annual State of the Union address by European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, covered on these pages yesterday by Giles Goodall. Sir Graham Watson, speaking in the debate that followed, commented;
In a rebuke to Eurosceptics who decry the loss of national sovereignty, Barroso has rightly pointed out that pooling power in Europe gives us more control over our fate in an interdependent world, not less.
Does Mr. Barroso know that he is the latest convert to an age-old Liberal demand?
Indeed, it is not just a federation of nation states that we need, but also a federation of citizens. The way to create both would be through direct election of the next President of the European Commission by universal suffrage.
In the USA, the world is watching a truly federal election. The only message from American politicians to the EU is ‘get your act together’. European leaders would be wise to heed that advice.
Beyond Brussels, this week saw two important events. In the Netherlands on Wednesday, a snap General Election, forced by the withdrawal of support for the ruling coalition by Geert Wilders’ PVV (Party for Freedom) over proposed austerity measures, saw advances for both ELDR member parties. Provisional results indicate that, in the 150-seat Parliament, VVD will be up ten seats to forty-one, and D’66 will be up two seats, to twelve. Even better, Geert Wilders’ party appear to have lost nine of their original twenty-four seats. Reports are that a coalition between VVD and the Labour Party is a possibility.
In Germany, the Constitutional Court published its long awaited report on the critical question of the legality, or otherwise, of the European Stability Mechanism. Following a series of challenges, the Court ruled that laws designed to enable the fund in “high probability” did not violate the Federal Constitution, and could therefore be ratified by President Joachim Gauck. The markets held their breath… and exhaled…
* Mark Valladares is on his way from Creeting St Peter to Brussels for a meeting of the ELDR Financial Advisory Committee…
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14 Comments
“The markets held their breath… and exhaled…”
For a while at least.
It also ruled to limit Germany’s exposure to E190b, or 27% of the total.
what happens when Spain needs its bailout, and ceases to be a contributor?
in the past germany’s exposure has automatically been ratcheted up every time a country drops out, not this time.
so, merkel will have to go to the bundestag in the year before an election to set aside the judgment of the karlsruhr, in order to pay johnny foriegner some more cash, in a country that pretty much defines the term “constitutional patriotism”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_patriotism
that’s gonna be fun!
it also said “nein” to providing the ECB with a banking license, so the ECB cannot create more cash to make up for the (future) deficit in state contributions once Spain joins the PIG.
@jedibeeftrix – so what’s your solution?
Force the issue of which EU nations within the eurozone insist on remaining sovereign entities that retain the power of the purse* in order to see who cannot stay within the what will become economic and political union.
This appears to be what Merkel is trying to do with her push for a new treaty this year.
But importantly, to make it easy as possible for those nations that cannot remain within to join Britain, Sweden and Denmark, as well as the accession nations, outside of the eurozone.
Tied to this must be recognition that the internal market remains subject to the EU27 and not a subject to be caucused by the Euro<17.
Ever-closer-union foisted upon all parties with no mechanism for escape is THE single most destructive feature of the EU. It must end.
* i do love to throw a little gladstone in there every know and then
@Jedi
can I point you to the recent requests for bailouts by 4 Spanish regions, Catalonia, Murcia, Valencia and Andalucia?
Aside from contradicting the basis of your first question, this fact also contradicts the premise of your argument about sovereignty in that European nations are not sovereign because they are subject to devolved powers, including in the UK.
Nations themselves should be seen as products of pooled democratic sovereignty, so if you argue for the continued existence of nation states then you implicitly support the principle of pooling sovereignty and must explain your inconsistency in applying it at international and transnational levels and doing so in an orderly institutionalised manner.
Strength in unity, or divide and conquer?
@Mark
what level of power would “direct election of the next President of the European Commission by universal suffrage” legitimately involve?
What a beautiful place Europe is! I do hope we will merge further into it, and join the Zone, and I hope these updates will become regular features in LDV.
It strikes me that people may need reassurance about European processes. For example, the Stem cell research. Presumably each sovereign nation witjin Europe has agreed something that allows stem cell research to be something that can be regulated at the European level? Similarly for crime victims – are the European measures basic, or do they go beyond what individual countries have already enacted?
Barroso’s statement about pooling is certainly helpful. People also need to be reassured that the EU is a democractic body, not a bureaucratic one, IMHO.
@ Orangepan – “if you argue for the continued existence of nation states then you implicitly support the principle of pooling sovereignty and must explain your inconsistency”
As noted in a previous thread:
I would describe legitimacy as resulting from both representation (of the peoples will) and accountability (to the will of the people).
They pull in opposite directions when you have very fractured cultural components over which to govern.
eg. you could mandate access to abortion across the EU and it would be representative of the majority, but it would have to be imposed on ireland therefore it would lack accountability in the eyes of the irish. or you could make policy accountable to every polity with a veto, but then you would not be able to mandate access to abortion because the irish wouldn’t wear it.
Yes, every demos has internal variation that has to be accommodated by compromise, but accommodation is accepted because there is a recognised familial sentiment that assents to the will of the majority. There are people in Ireland who might like access to abortion, but, hey this is ireland so its the way we roll.
On balance, i feel the best compromise is that sovereign nation states should cooperate and collaborate where a common viewpoint can breed a more effective solution, but to stay away from enforcing lowest common denominator compromises that satisy nobody. The exception to this being the common market which i am happy to see enforced by a supranational european commission.
There are plenty of european nations that bridle at what they consider to be the ‘neoliberal’ economic policy of the commission, they view it as unaccountable because it is imposed by the commission…………. but if it wasn’t imposed it wouldn’t exist because the alternative would be trying to represent all nations divergent views on how the internal market should function.
So, I simply seek to keep to a minimum what the EU does as a matter of general principle.
“On Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted the first European-wide law on the protection of crime victims, to improve support for them. The new EU law sets minimum standards for all 27 countries…”
Why is this being set down at a European level?
@jedi – over the summer I encountered a number of Europeans on my travels who expected a NEURO zone to emerge (ie northern European nations only, the south and other refuseniks being left outside). Any thoughts on the practicality of this?
@Mark – why no mention of Chris Davies’ rant over the fish stocks debate – featured elsewhere on LDV? We need to hear more about what our most passionate parliamentarian is up to – if only to boost our flagging morale!
Generally, it seems there is a rich vein of campaign material highlighting the appalling policy lines being followed by our coalition partners in Europe, your example above is typical, where NONE of our own hierarchy is constrained by cabinet responsibility and we can go all out to tell the public how horrible these Tories are. When will Campaigns department pick this up?
“Indeed, it is not just a federation of nation states that we need, but also a federation of citizens. The way to create both would be through direct election of the next President of the European Commission by universal suffrage.”
Can he not see that this will trigger demands for a UK referendum and probably to the UK leaving the EU? Only the most starry-eyed Europhile would believe that this proposal would be remotely acceptable to the UK voter.
@ nigel – re practicality of a neurozone.
No reason why not except for the insane and poisonous doctrine of no retreat from ever closer union.
This is why the barroso intervention is exactly as stupid and malignant as all the rest, for it articulates the same destructive doctrine that has been peddled for forty years and more.
We will know we are getting somewhere when we get the German treaty on political and fiscal integration…………… Along with an exit clause for those nations that suddenly find they cannot accept the logical consequence of monetary union.
Britain was never interested in the dream, but we were also big enough to carve ourselves out the necessary exclusions. While we might mock those nations that believed they could both integrate and remain sovereign, they never had a choice. Accession states, even now, still have no choice!
They must be given one, and if that isn’t a liberal vision for Britain in Europe I don’t know what is.
Interesting choice of map. No Kosovo?
And I’m not sure why Turkey should be coloured differently to Iceland and Macedonia, when it is also a recognised accession candidate, with many chapters of the acquis open (and even one closed).
Strange map…
And thinking about it further, Serbia and Montenegro are also recognised candidates for accession. Very strange map, indeed!
@Nigel Quinton: Absolutely, our MEPs are free to push the undiluted Liberal Democrat agenda in a body that makes decisions affecting the UK. And Tory MEPs, likewise. It makes me mad that we don’t make more of this.