Lukewarm support from big hitters after bid to force ‘social Europe’ onto agenda

Date: 10/10/02

By Dana Spinant

A NEW split has emerged in the constitutional Convention between supporters of a free market economy and those who advocate a 'social European' model.

The divide, which culminated last week with calls for the creation of a working group on social affairs, mirrors not only an ideological split but also a rift between those wanting to limit the Convention's remit to looking at procedures, and others who insist it should rethink Europe's values.

The latter warn that if the Convention does not look at questions that concern ordinary people, and tackles only institutional reform, it will be missing its point.

Some 80 of young Europeans believe that a social Europe should be the highest priority, they point out.

Forty-two members won a partial victory after urging the praesidium, the Convention's steering committee, to launch a debate on the issue: it agreed that an initial discussion will take place next month when the working group on economic governance will present its conclusions.

Insiders say the call for a debate on a social Europe was triggered by the creation of the latter group; many Convention members feel that any discussion on EU powers over economic coordination must be accompanied by one on the 'social model'.

Support for this approach came primarily from Socialists, Social Democrats and the Greens, whose MEP Johannes Voggenhuber posed the question: 'Who truly believes that this constitutional process will be a success if this Convention does not ask for a social model?'

Pierre Moscovici, the French government representative, added that the Convention would 'lose its connection to citizens' if it failed to deal with the social perspective.

Opponents, mostly from the EPP side, warned against extending the body's mandate. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the chairman, believes the Convention should look only at the way of deciding EU policies, not the content.

But Voggenhuber hit back, declaring: 'We see here a fight about our values and priorities in Europe.'

He questioned whether there was a consensus about the market economy vision, pointing out that a recent debate in the European Parliament had rejected the concept.

The arguments surrounding the issue do not fall neatly into a straight left-right divide, however. Germany's Social Democrats and the UK's Labour Party, for instance, do not see the need for a debate.

Peter Glotz, the German government representative, withdrew support for the motion calling for a debate, saying this would be a 'waste of time'.

British Europe Minister Peter Hain said while he supported the idea of a European social model, he did not think it was necessary to create another working group.

Despite the misgivings of Germany and Britain, left-leaning Convention members hope to win more backing from conservatives and liberals to push social Europe higher up the forum's agenda.

A new split has emerged in the constitutional Convention between supporters of a free market economy and those who advocate a 'social European' model.

http://european-convention.eu.int/bienvenue.asp?lang=EN http://european-convention.eu.int/bienvenue.asp?lang=EN

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