The Quest of European Leadership

◄	THE QUEST for EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP

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	During CEPS Annual Conference 2009 'The Quest for European Leadership'. On 5 March, discussions were held on: Reforming the EU Treaties: Improving ratification procedures and democratic involvement What role is left for the market? High level talks and actions concerning developments in present set backs. Below some brief notes in relation to the theme of the conference. There is still a democratic deficit. Citizens keep rejecting what is proposed. Much more engagement of citizens should be present. Leadership is needed. We need an strong Europe of integration. Wrestles what and who Brussels really is and means for daily life. Also national parliaments plays important roles within the process of integration: the importance of subsidiarity. Leadership is about winning (not artificially) and participating. However, methods to manage the question seems inadequate and an obstacle of producing progress in ratifying. There was attitude for a European referendum and not a referendum by national states. It would be a better democratic and institutional solution for the citizens. Good expectations Ireland will ratify the Lisbon Treaty. On legal level, fully ratify is feasible. Constitutional level is proved to be out of reach. Other circumstances, which see to leadership are the next EU-US relations, deep financial and economic crisis and political deficit of Europe. The deficit is a cause of the problem: more political Europe is a solution. The EC is totally immobilized and does everything to avoid conflicts with memberstates. The Lisbon Treaty aimed to strengthen Europe concerning citizens, economical, political, on social and formal scopes and on environment.

Reforming EU Treaties

During CEPS Annual Conference 2009 'The Quest for European Leadership'. On 5 March, discussions were held on:

Reforming the EU Treaties: Improving ratification procedures and democratic involvement
What role is left for the market?

High level talks and actions concerning developments in present set backs. Below some brief notes in relation to the theme of the conference.

There is still a democratic deficit. Citizens keep rejecting what is proposed. Much more engagement of citizens should be present. Leadership is needed. We need an strong Europe of integration. Wrestles what and who Brussels really is and means for daily life. Also national parliaments plays important roles within the process of integration: the importance of subsidiarity.

Leadership is about winning (not artificially) and participating. However, methods to manage the question seems inadequate and an obstacle of producing progress in ratifying. There was attitude for a European referendum and not a referendum by national states. It would be a better democratic and institutional solution for the citizens.

Good expectations Ireland will ratify the Lisbon Treaty. On legal level, fully ratify is feasible. Constitutional level is proved to be out of reach. Other circumstances, which see to leadership are the next EU-US relations, deep financial and economic crisis and political deficit of Europe. The deficit is a cause of the problem: more political Europe is a solution. The EC is totally immobilized and does everything to avoid conflicts with memberstates.

The Lisbon Treaty aimed to strengthen Europe concerning citizens, economical, political, on social and formal scopes and on environment.

Minister Dick Roche said everything we do in relation to the European Union is, and needs to be underpinned by the support of our citizens. The support of Europe’s citizens is expressed through their governments and the representatives they elect to the European Parliament.

'The EU is Unique Because it is Founded on Democracy'

That is what gives the EU its unique democratic legitimacy. No other international entity can compare with the EU in the depth of its democratic underpinning. No International Treaty has ever been produced in a more democratic way than the Constitutional Treaty and its successor the Lisbon Treaty.

Concerning the left role of the market it was said that last few months national approaches does not work and set backs in improvements of financial markets raised. Nobody (bankers, politicians and others) asked oneself the question: 'why took the bubble so long?' and nobody did said 'it cannot go on longer, stop!' In front now is short term thinking to handle the present by lending more and be precocious and long term thinking on better regulations. The measures that have been put in place can be seen as a case of 'very little Europe and very many national reactions'

'Unity Produces Strength:
Keep Europe out of Disintegration'.

Views about the old way of life, transition to a new way, leadership, the importance of negotations and relations and a suggestion to settle one spot where the course of money-flows in most important currencies can be centralized and monitored.