Plassnik endorses 2009 reform date

By Simon Taylor

Date: 01/06/06

Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik believes that aiming to agree new institutional reforms for the EU in 2009 would be a good idea even though the proposal is facing opposition from some member states.

She is also backing the call to give the EU more powers to tackle crime, saying it would be a "reasonable approach" to improving efficiency on decision-making on justice and home affairs.

At last weekend's meeting of foreign ministers outside Vienna, several ministers called for a 2009 target date for a new treaty although the UK, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland believe it is too early to fix rigid deadlines.

In an interview with European Voice, Plassnik said that 2009 was a "logical moment" to aim for because there would be so many changes within the EU's institutions then. These include the European Parliament elections, the formation of a new Commission and modification of its structure. In addition, there would be a review of the Union's budget in 2008-09 which would be a "major rethinking of financial and political strategy".

Plassnik said there had been an understanding at the informal meeting "to start at a given point in the future and work our way back".

While the 15-16 June summit will not officially relaunch the process of institutional debate in the wake of the rejection of the EU constitution by French and Dutch citizens last year, Plassnik pointed out the presidency had managed to get member states back round the table talking about the issue again. Rather than pushing the favoured option of a group of member states, which could divide, the point was for the 27 member states to "move forward" together.

Asked if she thought using the so-called bridging clause to make decision-making on police and judicial co-operation more democratic would be a good way of showing that the EU could advance without agreement on the constitution, she said it was a "reasonable approach to improve efficiency in justice and home affairs" which was a major concern for citizens.

At the weekend's meeting there had been strong "political will" to look at how to deal with difficulties of decision-making in a "constructive sense".

But some member states still had "constitutional problems which I can't resolve", she said, referring to Germany's explanation of its reservations.

Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said this week that he wanted a reference to the bridging clause in the summit conclusions but some member states are reluctant to be so specific, preferring instead to "explore the possibilities of improving decision-making".

Plassnik also faces opposition to another important objective for the Austrian presidency, winning support for moves to open all EU ministers' meetings where the Parliament has equal powers to the public. Germany, France, Poland and Greece said at the weekend they had reservations about moves for greater transparency. "I'm reasonably optimistic...we should be able to make an important step [forward]", she said.

Austria wants the summit to agree new moves to ensure that the principle of subsidiarity, or making sure decisions are taken closer to citizens, was being respected. "This would increase a sense of ownership of the EU by citizens," said Plassnik.

But some countries have resisted calls for a new formal checking mechanism.

Comments by Austria's Foreign Ministers and current President of the Council of the EU, Ursula Plassnik. The Minister said she believed that aiming to agree new institutional reforms for the EU in 2009 would be a good idea even though the proposal was facing opposition from some EU Member States.

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