French EU Minister Cazeneuve to EuroFora: Financial Perspectives need November EU Summit compromise+

 

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- After the latest EU Ministers' debates in Cyprus on EU's Financial Perspectives for the forthcoming period of 2014-2020, main developments will have to wait until the recently anounced, exceptional EU Brussels' November Summit of Heads of State/Government, specially dedicated to this crucial and strategic issue for EU's Future, said to "EuroFora" the New French Minister for EU Affairs, Bernard Cazeneuve, after inaugurating, earlier today, Strasbourg's EuroFair right in front of EU Parliament's building, where MEPs are due to hold an important debate on EU's "State of Union", next week in Strasbourg, on Wednesday morning.

- "We'd better wait to see how things may evolve at the November European Council" (recently anounced in Brussels for the 22-23.11.2012), carefully replied new French Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to "EuroFora"s Question on his appraisal of the debate on EU's Financial Perspectives which has just taken place at the End of August in a special meeting of all 27 Member Countries' Ministers for EU Affairs in Cyprus, which currently holds EU Council's rotating Chairmanship.

+ "The 2014-2020 EU Budgets should support EU Growth aims", as well as "give to the EU its own Resources, particularly via a Financial Transactions' Tax", declared in this regard earlier Cazeneuve, pointing also at relevant developments inside EU Parliament, (which would probably support at least this latest, concrete point, initially agreed already by German Chancellor Merkel and former President Sarkozy, but opposed mainly by UK Prime Minister Cameroon, despite new French President Hollande's support since June 2012, Comp. infra).

-  The New French EU affairs Minister also observed that EU "in order to restore its Financial Accounts needs Growth", while, at the same time, "if there is no (Financial) Stability, States' sovereignity is dangerously exposed to (Global) Financial Markets' speculation, with too high Interest Rates hindering Investments", and reiterated a call for the latest EU Council's decisions, including of June 2012, to start being implemented the soonest possible, as he said in Strasbourg, just a few Days before a crucial Judgement on the Ratification of the New €uroArea Treaty and €uroZone's Permanent Solidarity Mechanism, by the German Constitutional Court, at nearby Karlsruhe next week, scheduled for Wednesday, September 12, (i.e. the Same Day that EU Parliament's plenary due to hold a public debate on EU's State of Union")...

 

>>> - In particular, Cazeneuve strongly underlined EU's "Determination" to implement a series of Measures "for Growth", but also for "Financial Stability", decided by the latest EU Councils', and particularly on June 2012, added to "a Growing Intervention of the European Central Bank, as it was confirmed Yesterday by its President", Draghi, at nearby Frankfurt, (etc), which, taken all together, "attest a(n EU) Political Will to act for Growth and Financial Stability, as well as to fight against Speculation, while strengthening Solidarity between European People", as he stressed  to Strasbourg Journalists, including "EuroFora".

 

- Meanwhile, Cazeneuve also noted that new French President Hollande (PSoc.) was "re-equilibrating", as he said, relations to German Chancellor Merkel (ChristianDemocat/EPP), because "we had to say eachother some things", almost as former French and German Presidents Giscard d' Estaing and Helmut Schmitt had reportedly done in the Past, succeeding to overcome some initial differences and reach "Solid Compromises", because "speaking Frankly, we tell eachother several things which allow to conclude Solid Compromises", as he pointed out in conclusion.

 - "We (Germany) are Building a Relationship" with new French President Hollande (PS.), and, at any case, France and Germany have and want to always work closely together for all main, important European issues, positively confirmed, inter alia, earlier in Strasbourg, the experienced, key Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schauble, (comp. for various relevant Schauble's statements, also to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora" at our previous NewsReports, such as : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaubledauloneupoliticalunion.html ).
---------------
Cyprus' 7-12 EU Chair tries to prepare an Agreement on EU's Multi-Annual Financial Prespectives for the December 2012 Brussels' EU Summit, as also EU Commission's President José Barroso and many MEPs have set as target.

But an initial exploration of intentions among EU States , According to well-informed sources,  found an important Divide between those who have already asked to practically "freeze" EU's Budget for the foreseeable Future, during the forthcoming period of 2014-2020, and those who, on the contrary, wish to extend further EU-funded activities, particularly, f.ex. on Cohesion policy, etc.

An EU Parliament's majority has also urged EU Governments to mainly ensure an adequate funding for EU's New Areas of Action, introduced for the 1st time by the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force from January 2010, (f.ex. on Foreign Policy, with the creation of EU's External Action Service, on Human Rights, with EU's Charter of Fundamental Freedoms and EU's Envoy for Human Rights, on Space policy, etc).

Thus, experienced MEP Catherine Trautmann, from the new Governing Majority in France and Head of the French Socialist Delegation to EU Parliament, speaking to "EuroFora", expressed the view that, probably, current disagreements might need to extend Negotiations further, i.e. even after December 2012, towards the beginning of 2013, (under Irish EU rotating Chairmanship^, by new ChristianDemocrat/EPP Prime Minister Kenna : Comp. Kenna's statements to "EuroFora"s co-founder, as eary as since the March 2007 Summit in Berlin, etc).

- "However, we can't postpone final decisions for too long, i.e. for more than just a few more Months during the 1st semester of 2013, because the (EU) Budgets which will be prepared for 2014 and sp on, must have a Multi-Annual Financial Framework, which needs an Agreement at EU Council", MEP Trautmann warned.

+ "Meanwhile, EU Parliament will both follow closely developments on the 2014-2020 EU Financial Perspectives inside EU Council, and probably hold several relevant Debates and Votes by MEPs during the forthcoming  Months, the experienced, long-time MEP who was often consulted by new French President Hollande during his recent 2012 Elecorral Campaign,  said to "EuroFora", confirming also MEPs' support to the Financial Transaction Tax as EU's own Resource, (comp. Supra).
-----------------

- As for the President of EU Parliament's greatest Political Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Joseph Daul from Strasbourg, speaking earlier to "EuroFora", he already anounced his intention to incite MEPs' Debates "as soon as we'll have some Numbers" (on EU Funds) from the European Council.

+ Daul also added, earlier this week in Strasbourg, on the occasion of a Conference at the CoE where he was a Key note Speaker, after German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble, (Comp. "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport of Monday, September 2 : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaubledauloneupoliticalunion.html), a topical call to "raise the question of  Raw Materials , which are  an issue that we should examine more seriously, because it concerns the Future of the World", as he warned.

- Particularly since there are recently growing "Radical Changes" on "all Raw Materials" worldwide, f.ex. in Brazil, etc, on which "we (EU) must open a Debate", Daul anounced, (speaking just a Month after ECB President Draghi's observations, at nearby Frankfurt, on the Global rise mainly of "Food Prices", etc., which, according to the latest Global Economic Statistics, have constantly raised, during the last 5 or 6 Years, even more than Metals, Oil, etc., for reasons which don't concern so much the materials used by Agriculture, but other, more important aspects of Food Production and Trade, which should be seriously examined also on the occasion of the 2014-2020 MultiAnnual Financial Perspectives : F.ex. available Land, number of Peasants, Equipments' cost, Commercial Distribution, European or Foreign production, etc).
-------------------
Cazeneuve had earlier saluted ECB's move, anounced yesterday at nearby Frankfurft, which opened possibilities to buy €uroArea Member Countries' Sovereign Debt  without limits, in order to fight Global Financial Markets' Speculation, on the Condition that the concerned Governments decide and implement serious and efficient Structural Reforms, monitored together with the IMF : A step forward in a tendency towards a growing ECB role since the October 2011 Tripartite Franco-Germano-Italian Summit (the 1st with new Italian President Monti : Comp. Mario Monti's statements to "EuroFora" at EU Parliament as early as since 2009, etc); followed by President Draghi's invitation at the December 2011 Brussels' EU Summit (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Brussels, as well as from EU Parliament's plenary in Strasbourg), which prepared ECB's intervention to help €uroArea Banks' liquidities, further stressed by  former French President Sarkozy's speech at Vendome square in Paris, and indirectly supported also by the latest June 2012 EU Brussels' Summit, with the active participation of new French President Hollande, etc.

-------------
But, Cazeneuve apparently was less locacious, or perhaps more careful, at least for the moment, (i.e. just before a Franco-German Economic gathering, together with new French President Hollande, tomorrow at Evian, etc), on experienced German Finance Minister Schauble's vibrant call, launched earlier this week in Strasbourg, (See also Shauble's statements to Journalists in Strasbourg, including "EuroFora", that we published in a previous NewsReport : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaubledauloneupoliticalunion.html), to urgently and seriously launch an important move for Europe's "Political Union" able to attract strong Popular support, as a necessary means in order to succesfully and definitively tackle all €uroArea's Ecoonomic and Financial currently outstanding issues.

However, the new French Minister for EU affairs,  smiling at "EuroFora", apparently eluded a specific reply on this, obviously Top Political issue, perhaps satisfied by his previous readiness to kindly reply to our earlier, but somehow differend Question on EU's Financial Perspectives and the November 2012 Brussels' EU Summit, (comp. Supra), which, however, will deal with just another aspect of the same matter concerning also Europe's Future....

Even if he had just inaugurated Strasbourg's 2012 EuroFair together with Japanese Consul General Karube, (comp. his statements to "Eurofora" at a previous publication, earlier this week : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/strasbourg2012eufairjapanusachina.html ), as this years' "Guest of Honour" is Japan, maternal land of Coudenhove-Kallergi, the also Greek, Russian, Austrian; Italian and Czech-origin (ultimately French-culture oriented) famous Ideological "Father" of the International "PanEuropa" movement,  which reportedly inspired many aspects of the still on-going European Political  Integration already since 1926-1977+ (including key parts of Schuman's, Monet's and even De Gaule's ideas on Europe, etc), whose Headquarters have recently moved in Strasbourg. (Currently hosted at the same premisses with the "Franco-German entente" (FEFA) Association chaired by former Minister, the experienced Gaullist politician André Bord, close friend of mainstream University Professor on Public Law, and former President, Jean Waline, a strong supporter of de Gaulle's advisor, Rene Capitant's plaidoyerie for Popular Referenda and other forms of Direct Democracy able to give EU Citizens a better say and stronger links with their EU Representatives, on European issues)....

But, PanEuropean movement's founder, Coudenhove-Kallergi's initial Education on Philosophy had significantly started at the strategically located, in a crossroads between Austrian, Italian and Greek culture and civilisation famous "Episcopal School" of Brixen/Bressanone, a city located close to Alpes' Mountains, at an Italian crossroads between Venice's Adriatic Sea links to Greece (from where stem his "Kallergis" ancestors), and even all former Byzantine empire, Austria's Wienna and Germany's Munich, etc. : By a coincidence, it's also the city chosen by Pope Benedict while preparing  (close to German Chancellor Merkel's Summer Holiday ressort, at a nearby Mountain), his landmark visit to France, then EU rotatng Chair for July - December 2008, where he mainly stressed, later on September 2008 in Paris, (before a Pan-European/International Popular gathering at Lourdes, close to the Spanish borders), during his reply to former French President Sarkozy's welcome at Elysee Palace, that Europe could become able anew to create vitally needed Popular Support for European Political Integration, (as it's now urgently needed : See Schauble's statements in Strasbourg, as published at "EuroFora"s previous NewsReport earlier this week :http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaubledauloneupoliticalunion.html), if it effectively guaranteed EU Citizens' basic Human Rights. (Comp. : "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReports, then, both from Brixen/Bressanone, Paris/Elysee Palace and Lourdes : F.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/beneprimoangelus.html and http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/beneeuropehumanrights.html ).

Natural ingredients for any succesful recipe to build a real European Political Union in the foreseeable Future, as Historic Realities have already proved that Economy, Finance,  Institutions, Politics and Human Rights are closely interwoven together in real practice, in quest of a new coherence able to stimulate EU Citizens' indispensable, genuine support, (Comp. supra).   

Topically, it was, then, (during August and September 2008), almost Time to Start the preparation for EU Pariament's June 2009 Elections, almost as now, we are soon approaching the time to start preparing the forthcoming, June 2014, new EU Elections, that the European Parliament has already begun to planify, (f.ex. by already creating a special "Group" for that purpose, etc),  as well informed EU sources recently told "EuroFora", since, in fact, it's just 1 year and a few Months still available before this exceptionaly important, if not desicive, political event, where EU Citizens will also be able to practicaly Vote for the 1st time for the person and the policy of the next EU Commission's presidency, according to MEPs' socio-political choices, at a very Crucial juncture for Europe's Future.