Libertas.org

Dr Jana Hybášková, MEP

The EU Summit in Brussels indeed brought an important and positive advance of European integration. The unexpected became reality - the EU will gain a legal personality, one subject under law. It is an exceptional step forward - from the point of international law, international relations, international power and foreign policy. I am very glad that even the eurosceptic Czech government agreed with this important step and the ruling ODS was thus able to prove the basic principle of EU politics - speak differently in Brussels and at home.

Legal personality bases future possibility of one joint UN Security Council seat for the entire EU. EU will be able to have a united stand in affairs like the Kosovo question. Why do we need this? Not only because of the relations with the USA, but also, and especially with the Russia. EU:Russia would be now 1:1, not 27:1. The same towards China. The same towards Iran.

Moreover, thanks to the switching of labels will Europe have one foreign policy coordinator, whatever should be his title, since 2009. The twin-house Solana-Ferrero-Waldner will disappear, number of bureaucrats will diminish, the EU foreign policy will be more united.

The third major advance is the issue of qualified voting. It was necessary to retreat before the Polish pressure, but the whole process was unblocked and is negotiable. It is glad that also the Czechs helped in this process. The Nice System will be valid at least until 2014, but a voting mechanism that should be acceptable, pleasant and comfortable for everyone will enter in force later. This will be a key move forwards - the European League of States will become a confederation. I am very gladly surprised that even the Czech government accepted these victories on the way to common Europe. It accepted the switch of basic competencies; it is more pragmatic than ideological.

The British succeeded in killing the obligatory charter of basic rights and freedoms. Let them keep their liberties. The French made the free trade disappear from the preamble, but it stays within the text. The Dutch got higher participation of the national parliaments. The Czechs received a promise of better definition of legal relations between the EU and the Member States, which is already happening and is a good thing.

We do not have the flag, the anthem and the position of minister of foreign affairs, we have also missed the word “constitution” and most of countries will thus skip referenda. Just the Danish and Irish seem now to vote on the new treaty.

However, I do not call “hallelujah”! The summit was not a victory for those who wish really common Europe. Common law, common migration model, common energy policy, common services market, or a single European patent, European railways, or European mobile operator. The European enlargement of a club from 15 on 27 is costing something. As the Polish dance has shown, it is necessary to have some time for understanding the common principles.

The summit has not fulfilled the most important thing - it has not brought the common European constitution (with a small “c”). It has not brought a common preamble on common values, it has not created a truly European and accountable European government, European democratic control by the European Parliament, it has not clearly stated the division of powers between the national and European parliaments. It has not helped to finally destroy the meaningless borders between the first, second and third pillar, it has not created a ground for new, very necessary common policies.

The summit is a realistic awakening. But in the first place it is a challenge: it keeps open door. The necessary is told in the context: Europe has moved a tiny step forward, but in the same moment is the usual compromise between the head of states the most slobbered of all. We need much of energy, flexibility, new understanding, time and the will of politicians for a real, serious constitutional change. I trust we have these.