Europees Gekke Henkie NL: stank voor dank

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Fritz van Rikxoort wrote:
> REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl
>
> In ieder geval valt de mate van Europese integratie, beleidsmatig en
> politiek erg tegen. Ook ik dacht dat er meer solidariteit was tussen
> Europese landen en burgers via gelijke meebetaling aan
> gemeenschappelijke zaken. Het was toch meer Frankrijk die de dienst
> uitmaakt en zoals honderden jaren in Europa zijn als veruit eerste
> centraal geleid land zijn inkomsten claimt van anderen, nu dan zonder
> talloze veroveringen. Engeland bleef via de rebate de enige die zich
> niet liet ovrheersen, en Duitsland kwam eindelijk onde het juk vandaan
> van de Fransen na de val van de Muur en profiteerde, terecht, van de
> herenigign met Ooost-Duitsland met indirecte financiële steun via de
> munt uit Europa, en via de landbouwsubsidies. Maar enige echte
> integratie anders dan netto-betalingen zie ik er niet in. Wel zo
> gepresenteerd, ook met de structuurfondsen, maar ook die zouden net als
> de landbouwsubsidies als ze blijven ontwikkelingshulp alleen aan nog
> arme landen moeten zijn. Het profijt van de grote drie moet gewoon
> ophouden.

Het (EU)-probleem lijkt in de kern neer te komen op het
onderstaande verschil in filosofie. Maar ook het (EU)concept
zelf zou weleens in de kern het probleem kunnen vormen.
Plasterk wees in zijn 'Buitenhof'-colunm ook op een
dergelijk probleem, nl. de logische samenhang in de
hierachie van beslissingsbevoegdheid.

Henk Elegeert



http://euobserver.com/?aid=19363&rk=1
"
Europe divided by two opposing philosophies

18.06.2005 - 08:20 CET | By Honor Mahony

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Following a bitter and failed summit
on the future funding of the EU, veteran politician and
current head of the EU Jean-Claude Juncker has concluded
that Europe is divided into two opposing camps - a free
trade camp and a political Europe camp.

Sounding an extremely pessimistic note after a meeting of EU
leaders that left the constitution's future uncertain and no
agreement on money, Mr Juncker said that some member states
want a free trade Europe and nothing else while others want
a "politically integrated Europe".

He added that only political integration would allow Europe
to overcome the challenges facing it.

Speaking of the "two philosophies" Mr Juncker said "I knew
the time would come when all of this would come out".

His words came as Britain held out on its annual rebate, the
Netherlands pushed to pay 1.5bn euro less into the coffers
and Sweden criticised the budget as not being modern enough.

But the opposing philosophies have been simmering for the
last months - particularly in the run up to the French
referendum on the constitution.

A large part of the reason that the French voted No was
fears of a free-market Anglo-Saxon model of Europe, which
they felt would cost jobs and social security.

French and UK social models
President Chirac did little to quell these fears and
directly after the referendum pointedly said that the French
social model was not the Anglo-Saxon model.

British prime minister Tony Blair, on the other hand, was
then heard to stress how important it was to reform Europe
and make it more pro-business and less regulated.

By the time the summit came around, both sides were spoiling
for a fight with the British rebate and French farm
subsidies taking the foreground but an ideological divide
providing the background.

Their positions were captured in their statements to press
after the summit ended. Mr Chirac defended the Common
Agriculture Policy as being "modern" and "dynamic" while Mr
Blair asked "are we going to become the most competitive
economy in the world"?

The British prime minister summed up by saying that he had
nothing personal against Mr Chirac it was just that "these
are different visions".

Keeping up appearances
Mr Juncker, who was plainly angry after the meeting, said
that EU would be damaged by its failure to reach an
agreement on the budget.

He said the "people need to realise that we're being watched
[from the outside]".

The Luxembourg leader also said that he did not think the
failure to reach an agreement would have an "immediate
effect" but that it would be a "slower" and "almost
unnoticeable" effect.

Those on the outside, however, will notice it quickly.

President Chirac also indicated he believed EU had been
damaged saying a "weakened vision" of Europe had emerged.

But those who blocked the final agreement on the budget -
like the UK and Spain - downplayed any talk of crisis in the
25-nation bloc.
"

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