Gloves off after launch of single presidency plan

Date: 06/02/03

By Dana Spinant

THE fight within the Convention between supporters of a single EU president and those in favour of a dual presidency is in the open, following the launch of an official proposal for a unified presidency by Liberal MEP Andrew Duff.

In a contribution jointly signed by fellow Convention member Lamberto Dini, Italy's former foreign minister, Duff makes the case for a single president - a move to counter the Franco-German plan for an elected president of the European Council alongside the Commission president.

Duff and Dini argue one president of the Union could chair both the Commission and the European Council.

He or she would deploy the executive powers of both the Commission and the Council, thus ensuring a complete separation of the legislative work of the latter from its executive powers.

They suggest that four formations of the 'Executive Council' would be chaired by the single EU president, while the 'Law Council', which would work in public, would be chaired by a minister. The presidency of the Law Council may continue to rotate.

The single EU president would be appointed - and dismissed - jointly by the European Council and the Parliament.

Under the plan, the European Council would adopt multi-annual policy strategies on a proposal from the Commission, after consulting the Parliament and national parliaments.

But a senior Convention official told European Voice he believes the idea of an integrated EU presidency will fail.

The biggest obstacle is the concentration of powers in the hands of one person, he said.

The fight within the Convention between supporters of a single EU president and those in favour of a dual presidency is in the open, following the launch of an official proposal for a unified presidency by Liberal MEP Andrew Duff.