By Martin Banks - 7th July 2010
There is a new balance of power
Catherine Day
The top official in the commission says the Lisbon treaty has created a key shift in the balance of power between the EU institutions.
Speaking on Wednesday, Catherine Day, secretary general of the European commission, said that the European parliament now had significant new powers "which it clearly intends to use."
She also said that, on external relations issues, it should be the commission president "who speaks for the EU."
Addressing a European Policy Centre briefing, Day, described as the "most powerful woman in Brussels," said, that "after eight years of navel gazing" it was time for the EU to "move forward."
In a wide-ranging speech, she also made an appeal to those who appear unwilling to accept the "new balance of power" in EU decision-making process.
This could be seen by some as a veiled criticism of Jean de Ruyt, Belgium's permanent representative to the EU, who, in a recent newspaper interview, said parliament was the "biggest obstacle" to the incoming Belgian presidency.
Day said, "There is a new balance of power and this may send some shockwaves in the council but it is important to pick up on this new mood.
"This is a much more assertive parliament and the institution will use its new powers in a number of ways."
She citied parliament's rejection in February of the deal between the EU and US on sharing information about bank transfers as an example of parliament's new assertiveness.
She said, however, that with its new competences, goes "new responsibilities."
Day said the current decision-making process was "too slow" adding that there was a need to legislative more quickly in several areas.
"We need to fast track key pieces of legislation," said Day, who has held her current post since 2005 having previously been DG for environment in the commission.
She said that while the treaty should not be seen as an "answer to all the EU's problems," it was a "useful toolbox" to address some of them.
The official also admitted that some of the key positions created by Lisbon, such as the EU president and High Representative, would "need time to bed in."
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