Wednesday 20 September, European Commission's President Josι Manuel Barroso declared, that his commission has given up the idea of a new European Constitution in the next three years. 'We don't need a philosophical debate on the future of Europe. We need to get Europe back to work!'
Mr. Barroso said that he and the other commissioners would travel to member states to meet governments, members of parliament and social partners in order to listen to what people have to say in the member states. 'This should not be a bureaucratic or technocratic exercise, it has to be a political venture. Because, it is not the commission alone that can get Europe to work'.
His remarks, which followed a brain-storming session in the commission, were aimed at leaders across the European Union. Barroso wants the UK to redouble its efforts to agree a deal on the EU budget 2007-2013, an issue that Blair has stopped in the hope Merkel would have been on her way by now to being Germany's chancellor. Britain helped blocking agreement on the EU budget in June, but now has the job of brokering a deal because the UK holds the rotating EU presidency till the end of this year.
'We need agreement, it is urgent. A further delay could involve enormous losses for all member states'. EU leaders have to get over their divisions between more free market economics and more emphasis on social protection. President Barroso argued: 'It is really important that the British EU presidency put all its energy into trying to find a solution in this period '. He said that the commission would work on its contribution to next month's informal meeting of EU leaders so there is a 'genuine debate on the economic and social challenges' facing the EU in the coming years.
The commission is to push ahead with the proposed directive to open the market in services in the EU, which counts for 70 percent of the economy but also cause of so much controversy in the debate preceding the French referendum on the constitution.
Barroso insisted again on the need to legislate less. 'Bureaucracies have a tendency to legislate for the pleasure of it'. Next week, the commission is expected to withdraw 70 legislative proposals currently in the pipeline.
