Mit - Index

Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_05_št.10 - Index

GLOBALISATION, COMBATING
TERRORISM, SuSTAINABLE ENERGY,
CLIMATE CHANGE, ANd EuROPEANS'
PuRCHASING POWER ARE ALSO
CHALLENGES. THIS MIGHT JuST
BE THE STORYLINE OF THE ≈NEW
EuROPEAN STORY« THAT YOu ANd YOuR
COMMISSION WANT TO PEN BEFORE
THE ENd OF THEIR MANdATE. WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THIS SPHERE?
Globalisation is challenging but I want to see it also as a set of new
opportunities. New opportunities for an open, competitive and
ambitious Europe. And also for the developing world, because
we have a responsibility to contribute to a better functioning,
sustainable and balanced world order.
The EU is increasingly perceived in the world stage as an active
player which is proposing and often setting the standards in a
number of global issues, from climate change to development
cooperation, good governance and human rights, social
standards, or regulation of financial markets.
The mandate of my Commission is far from being over and I still
want to see many things happening. 2009 will be a crucial year
in many key areas of our action: international negotiations on
climate change and emissions reduction after 2012 are high on
the agenda, with a deadline in the UN conference in November in
Copenhagen. On our energy agenda, the efforts to go further in
the realization of the internal energy market, our energy dialogue
with strategic partners, our efforts to diversify both the sources
and the providers are more urgent than ever.
ACCORdING TO SOME OPINIONS, WITH
27 MEMBERS ANd THE PROSPECT OF
FuRTHER EXPANSION, THE Eu NEEdS A
NEW FRAMEWORk WHICH WILL ENABLE
NOT ONLY GREATER EFFICIENCY ANd
THE dEvELOPMENT OF A POLITICAL
COMPONENT ANd A MORE vISIBLE
ROLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPHERE,
BuT WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN THE
dEMOCRATIC RESPONSIBILITY OF ITS
INSTITuTIONS ANd EXPANd THE BASIC
RIGHTS OF ITS CITIZENS. WOuLd YOu
AGREE?
Yes. And this is precisely what is addressed by the Lisbon Treaty.
The Treaty of Lisbon reinforces Europe's capacity to act more
effectively for the benefit of our citizens. And the Treaty makes
Europe more democratic, more transparent, and more influential
on the world stage. In other words: the new Treaty of Lisbon
gives us the means to fully exploit Europe’s full potential. It is
part of a historic process which began back in Berlin in 1989 and
which made us the present of Europe's reunification.
In spite of the current difficulties in the ratification process,
19
IntERview
following the negative vote in Ireland, we all know that the
answer to all the questions and concerns that you mention
is ≈Europe«. The EU is not the problem, I insist, the EU is the
answer. And any serious attempt to address these concerns or
even fears −as we saw in Ireland- as Europeans would inevitably
come to a conclusion that would not be substantially different
from the deal that was agreed by all Member States…
WHAT IS YOuR vIEW OF THE SOLuTION
TO THE kOSOvO ISSuE? ACCORdING TO
SOME OPINIONS, THE BALkANS IS THE
GREATEST PART OF THE uNFINISHEd Eu
PROJECT.
The Western Balkans have a clear European perspective. They
have come closer to the EU over the past two years, both politically
and economically and I am convinced that each of the countries
can accelerate its integration with the EU this year, and in that
sense I commend the efforts made by the Slovenian Presidency.
The engines driving them towards the EU are the reforms in the
countries concerned. And we are ready to help, we are mobilising
all our policy instruments to support the region's progress. For
instance, by establishing roadmaps for each country towards
visa free travel; by doubling the number of scholarships for
the students of WB; by opening up EU programmes in science
and research, education, culture and youth; or by negotiating a
Transport Community for South-eastern Europe.
The EU's pre-accession assistance to the region amounts to
€ 800 million yearly. This is by far the highest per capita amount
provided by us to any region in the world! On top of that we
spend yearly ca. € 150 million for the security in the region, in
Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Kosovo, which makes the total input
close to 1 billion € a year. This is also to say that we support
the people of the region to opt for European values and living
standards.
Concerning Kosovo, the EU has taken its responsibilities and we
are supporting actively the development of a stable, democratic,
multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo. The Commission will continue
to use the community instruments at its disposal, in particular
to promote democratic reforms, good neighbourly relations and
economic progress.
10 sinfo