EU 'not to blame' for national failures

STRASBOURG - Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering has said that the EU is sometimes in danger of becoming a scapegoat for national problems.

At a special sitting of the parliament to mark its 50th anniversary, he said, "We are the citizens' chamber of the EU. We do need a critical public to follow our work with the spirit of criticism but we also hope we have fairness as well.

"The union must not be regarded as an Aunt Sally for national failures."

To a largely empty chamber, Pöttering expressed his enthusiasm for progress already made, but thinks there is still a way to go for the parliament.

"We must be self-critical in remembering the aspects of parliamentary democracy not yet realised - we don't have the ability to decide on raising our own tax, the common foreign and security policy is still inchoate, we don't have a single electoral procedure.

"With patience, stamina and a good compass, the European parliament has fought to assert its position and this must and will continue along those lines."

However, although commission president José Manuel Barroso welcomed the celebrations, he said that no institution should gain ground over any other.

"A European parliament which is strong is indispensable for the other institutions and particularly for the commission," he said.

"But there cannot be a zero sum game between our institutions. None of the institutions should become stronger at the expense of another."

When the parliament first came into being in 1958, it had no power to legislate; under successive EU treaties, its power has been extended and under the Lisbon treaty, its remit goes even further.

When the treaty is ratified by all 27 member states, parliament?s power should match that of the council in decision-making procedures for the bulk of EU legislation.

Pöttering reiterated parliament's support for the treaty, which it passed by a large majority in February. "We can be proud that we have always stood up for the Lisbon treaty and the charter of fundamental rights without ifs and buts."

But although the Lisbon treaty is a huge step forward for Europe, said Slovenian president Janez Jan?a, he thinks there are still some basic misunderstandings about the benefits the EU can bring.

"The way people view the EU is often far from the truth. A number of Europeans still doubt the benefit of European integration.

"Our common task is to maintain a collective European experience. We can use it as a strength to face future challenges."

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