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A five-minute guide to how the EU works - Sarah Ludford
March 3, 2009 11:33 AM
The infuriatingly stupid claim by French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner that "no one understands the [European Union] institutions ... not even me" (FT, July 1 2008) is on a par with the assertion - nay, boast - during the referendum campaign by Ireland's EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevey and premier Brian Cowen that they had not read the Lisbon treaty. These are either attempts to pose as populist "one of the boys" or an admission that they are not fit to occupy positions in, respectively, the EU Council of Ministers and current Presidency, European Commission and European Council. If the latter is the case, they should resign as unfit to deal with or decide EU matters. As a humble member of the European parliament, I have read the Lisbon treaty and I do understand how the EU institutions work. If I did not, I would not stand for election.
These institutions, contrary to the mythology that Mr Kouchner is intent on perpetuating, are not in essence complex or difficult to describe, despite the fact that they have to conform with quite a long-winded set of rules, not least because of various opt-outs, protocols, clarifications and so on insisted on by the various member states in consecutive treaty negotiations.
Please will all the European Commissioners, prime ministers, foreign ministers, Europe ministers and schools ministers take a pledge to stop dumbing down in a bid to placate euro-alienation and instead agree on a simple informative "narrative" of how the EU works along something like the following lines, though they ought to do better than my five-minute effort:
"The European Union consists of 27 states which share some powers in a bid to deliver a secure, just, prosperous and sustainable future for their 500m citizens, and stability and progress in the world. The European Commission, consisting of former national politicians, draws up proposals for laws and helps implement and enforce them. Those laws are decided by MEPs, who are directly elected to the European parliament every five years, jointly with ministers of national governments comprising the Council. The latter also makes foreign and other policy decisions. National MPs scrutinise or call to account the activities of their governments in the Council. The European Court of Justice rules on the interpretation and claims of breach of EU law."
Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP
Liberal Democrat European Justice Spokeswoman
First published: July 2 2008 03:00 | Last updated: July 2 2008 03:00