Bill's Last Report for 2011
By Bill Newton Dunn MEP
Originally published by East Midlands Liberal Democrats
Climate Change
Cameron's "veto".
Cameron made the simplest mistake in politics. To leave the negotiating table without the others following him.
He returned to London to cheers but with absolutely nothing to show for it : no repatriated powers (and no hope of getting them now), and no protection for the City. It was not a veto, it was self-isolation.
It is his second profound mistake : last year he pulled his Tory MEPs out of their main centre-right alliance (into which Mrs Thatcher had placed them, she knowing where power lies). The Tories are now without any influence or leverage for Britain over EU legislation.
Since British businessmen need guaranteed free access to continental markets, there is an opportunity for the Lib Dems to get the support of British business, being the only party that strongly and consistently advocates Britain3s full positive membership of the EU.
Euro-zone crisis
The national governments stumble on, summit after summit, using the government-to-government route, and always failing to agree enough remedies. See http://euobserver.com/843/114698
The European Parliament is exceedingly impatient with them. The EU decision-making method, already agreed in the treaties, is that the Commission makes the proposal, the Parliament and the Council together decide, each by majority voting, and there is the solution !
If the Euro-zone fails, it will be because each national government insists on holding onto its own sovereignty and is unwilling to take the necessary step to shared sovereignty towards the Union that was agreed sixty years ago. In other words, nationalism will have prevailed. It is in Britain's strong economic interest that the euro survives.
We British should not underestimate the total determination of the continentals not to let sixty years of work unwind and risk a return to hostile rivalries in Europe. The world has changed and European countries, all of us small now, have to wotk together to face up to the emerging giants, China, India, Brazil, etc
Croatia
Is to be the next member state of the EU.
Meanwhile some good news.
1. Mine about removing phosphates from detergents was approved by the parliament by 631 to 18. The Council has to give similar approval (the latest count there is 25 states in favour, two against) then is is a law applying directly without national parliaments involvement. More details here.
2. Another is about fruit-juices - whereby the practice of adding sugar is outlawed and the practice of adding other juices must be clearly stated on the label (for example, at present "strawberry juice" is mainly apple juice.) More details here.
3. Thirdly, a single EU Patent is approaching. The national governments have edged closer to ending decades of deadlock to agree on a streamlined system for patents, a move that would help businesses in our flagging economy. The agreement will also establish a Unitary Patent Court. Once finalised, the agreement would be a rare example of the "enhanced cooperation" process, whereby a group of member states can push ahead on their own with new rules, despite the objections of a few. Italy and Spain have refused to back the creation of a single EU patent because the official languages for an EU patent will be only English, French and German. They want Italian and Spanish included too.
4. My long campaign to raise the level of awareness about the ever-growing activities of international criminal gangs and the need for a European FBI is recognised. The parliament will create a new committee in January, on Organised Crime, and I expect to be one of its members.
Finally...
1. A popular Greek socialist ex-MEP was wandering round the parliament last week. A few months ago he was phoned by the Greek Prime Minister, Papandreou, "please come back to Athens and be my Foreign Minister". Soon afterwards, the new technocratic government took power in Athens. Stavros, the ex-MEP and ex-minister, said to me "If you ever get a call to be your country's Foreign Minister, just say No" !
2. I heard that, in future, euro notes may be printed on grease-proof paper. ha ha
Bill