Giscard defies doubters and presses forward with vision of European Congress

Date: 03/10/02

By Dana Spinant

Dana Spinant reports on Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's Bruges speech and other developments in the future of Europe debate.

VALERY Giscard d'Estaing, the chairman of the constitutional Convention, unveiled his vision for the future of the EU with a call for a 'Congress of Europe's peoples' to periodically examine the state of the Union.

In a landmark speech yesterday (2 October) at the College of Europe in Bruges, the nursery for Eurocrats and the scene of history-making speeches by European politicians in the past, Giscard pressed his case for a Congress gathering representatives of the European Parliament and national assemblies.

Although he described his proposal as a 'personal' vision, motivated by a need to 'internalise, in the member states, the European problems', his remarks are bound to heat up the debate on the future of Europe.

When Giscard first raised his idea of a 'Congrès des peuples d'Europe' before the summer, it triggered grumbles that he wants member states to have more power. The proposal was attacked for complicating the EU system, by creating a new institution, and for reducing the Commission's scope for action, by turning national parliaments into a permanent watchdog.

Despite that criticism, Giscard has now fleshed out his vision: the Congress, which would be a kind off 'global constituency of Europe', would be consulted on general evolutions in the Union and on its future enlargement. It would have no legislative power, 'which will be strictly reserved to the European Parliament'.

The Congress would periodically hear a report by the president of the European Commission and by the Council's president on the internal and external state of the Union. It would also be called to endorse appointments for high-level positions.

The proposal will provide ammunition for federalists who regard Giscard as a confirmed 'intergovernmentalist'.

Although discreet about articulating his views in public since he became chairman of the Convention, Giscard has always been seen as favouring more power for member states. After all, it was the former French president who founded the European Council, the institution gathering heads of state of EU countries to take strategic decisions.

Giscard attempted to reassure his critics in his Bruges speech by saying that similar concerns about strengthening the powers of member states had been expressed when the European Council was created in 1975. However, he claims, today's EU is more supranational than it was in the 70s. He warns against a 'too rigid dogmatism' and against giving in to 'irrational concerns'.

Giscard did use the 'f-word' in his speech, however, saying that he envisaged 'a Union of European states closely coordinating their policies and managing in a federal style some common competences'. This fits closer to the French call for a federation of member states than to the German desire for a federal system.

The Convention's master has not decided on a name for the brave new Europe of tomorrow, saying he would like to see the citizens, especially the young, decide whether it should be called the European Community, the European Union, United Europe or United States of Europe. He insists the choice of name is essential, as 'the name has a symbolic force allowing every citizen identify the nature and the ambition of the European project'.

In a speech in which the name of Jean Monnet, the founding father of the EU, was mentioned ten times, Giscard said he was convinced the Convention would succeed in launching a project for the future Union.

'I am not optimistic, I am determined,' he said, quoting Monnet.

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the chairman of the European Convention, unveiled his vision for the future of the EU in a landmark speech at the College of Europe, Bruges, 2 October 2002.

http://european-convention.eu.int/docs/speeches/3314.pdf http://european-convention.eu.int/docs/speeches/3314.pdf

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