EU at 50

French President and current EU figurehead, Nicolas Sarkozy claimed an early boost to his country’s presidency of the Union yesterday, with the conclusion of the much anticipated ‘European Pact on Immigration and Asylum.’ Of course, it was a watered down version of the document that French immigration minister, Brice Hortefeux, was peddling to Member State governments earlier in the year - and rightfully so. Spain threw a wrench in the French Presidency’s plans a few days ago, when it refused to agree to an addendum on integration and a Europe-wide ban on regularisations. 

According to those who have actually seen it, (it is not public information - at least not yet) it is built around five guiding principles:

So, at the end of the day, nothing in this pact is really new. 

For the most part, the Commission has already proposed legislation (EU Blue Card) and frameworks (Hague Programme) or, in fact, legislation has already been concluded as is the case for the Returns Directive.

However: Because Mr. Sarkozy has done what few others have done before him in recent EU politics (bar Angela Merkel on the environment) -  namely claim ownership and assume leadership - the media is keeping a close eye not only on him as EU President, but on the commitments made by all 27 Heads of State and Government as part of this pact. In the absence of a clear legal base for Justice and Home Affairs policy (which is linked to the adoption of the Lisbon Reform Treaty), and in light of demographic and economic need, the EU needs momentum in this crucial policy area. 

For ten years, since the initial EU Summit on immigration policy in Tampere, plans were made, legislation was written but major problems remained unadressed. Member states failed to realize the benefit of common approaches to a policy area, which by nature of the Union’s open borders, could no longer be controlled unitlaterally.

We have a new window of opportunity: Europe needs migrants economically, and Europeans are beginning to understand the benefit of controlled migration. Europeans, by and large, want the Union - not their individual national governments - to develop functional policy in this area. Now is the time to turn the end the closed-door decision-making that started in Tampere. The European Parliament, NGOs and migrant organizations have to use this new window of opportunity in their favor, to ensure that the European Union gives itself the robust, humantiarian, just, equal and functional immigration and asylum policy it needs for the 21st century and beyond. 

The European Commission has put forward a proposal that would allow patients to seek out medical assistance in other countries irrespective of the approval of their health care provider. Citing principles of free choice, free movement and comparative advantage, EU Health Commissioner, Androulla Vassiliou presented the plans in Brussels.

Though the Financial Times predicts the advent of ‘health tourism’ , Mrs. Vassiliou argues that effects would actually be beneficial:

“Every country is very eager to spend money on everything because there is a demand from their citizens. Gradually they will realise they cannot have everything. It is better to specialise in certain things and rely on your neighbour for something else and vice versa. There will be this pooling together of expertise and knowledge.”

She also dismisses ideas of health care ’stop ‘n shop’:

“Few patients take up their right. By giving them more information it would open the option up beyond the rich who can already afford to travel, she said. “Ninety per cent of people prefer to stay at home where they know the language and the system,” she said.

Welcome, Mr. President, to one of the toughest jobs in global politics. You had a killer agenda planned, including the conclusion of an European pact on immigration and asylum, the creation of a functional Mediterranean Union (with the EU-Med Summit in two weeks’ time) and robust responses to the looming natural resource shortage. Already, you had prepared answers to a number of key questions - including the often controversial immigration pact - to ensure a smooth ratification that would allow for the spotlight to shine brightly on you and your achievements. You hoped that your results-based leadership of the Union would impress your ever-critical citizens at home, who bemoan the lack of progress on key domestic reforms. And indeed, as  a recent paper by the Bertelsmann Foundation underlines, Europe would have had a few things to look forward to, with respect to your approach to crucial foreign policy questions.

But now? Now that the Lisbon Reform Treaty lies all but in tatters? Now could really be your time to shine, M. le President. Instead,  you are already isolating and rebuking people left and right, be it the Commission President, the Union’s trade Commissioner or the Czech President. What a way to show everyone who’s boss..

How will the Irish ‘No’ affect your turn at the helm of the Union? Charles Grant, Director of the Centre for European Reform argues that you’ll have to listen to Irish concerns and are likely to focus on negotiating exemptions for the green island. But looking ahead to all the other countries now wavering in their support for the Treaty, will it be enough? And more importantly, perhaps for you - will it make you look good? Will you still be talking to the people that matter a few months down the line? We’ll be watching…