Robert Sturdy's Strasbourg report – September 2011 (1)
They say that ignorance is bliss. On this account many of my European counterparts must be amongst the happiest people on Earth. As the EU seems to be in the midst of an existential crisis, and governments across the continent are becoming deeply concerned on the future of not only the eurozone but even the EU itself, MEPs have decreed in true pantomime fashion that the show must go on. The European Parliament is a place made up of ideological Euro Federalists whose answer to every problem is more Europe, more power to Brussels and, more often than not, more money.
After governments across the EU and the Council have repeatedly called on the EU to reduce its budget to match similar cuts made in member-states, MEPs and the Commission have demonstrated that there is still a huge void between the two positions as they once again demanded more money for the EU. Parliament will vote on its position on 26 October and I can guarantee that my Conservative colleagues and I will not vote to give the EU a penny more.
If the ignorance levels were making the MEPs happy with a call for an increased budget, they must have been delirious when President Jose Manuel Barroso of the European Commission took the floor in a debate surrounding a vote on the EU's response to the economic crisis. President Barroso urged for a 'political union' as a means to solve the crisis and talked of an EU federal moment when Eurobonds and financial transactions tax were needed to put the Euro back on track. All I can say to that is no way Jose!
Counter-terrorism
The week had started on a solemn note with a sensible debate. On Monday, the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, led the Parliament in a tribute to those killed in the attacks in the US following the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. The ensuing debate weighed up the costs and benefits of the counter-terrorism measures taken in Europe since the September 2001 attacks, with regards to their effectiveness and impact on civil liberties.
Although the vote on the resolution was postponed, it is reassuring that the EU is constantly reconsidering the effects of counter-terrorism, for example increased security checks at airports, to make sure their continued use is necessary.
Vicky Ford to the rescue
Again on Tuesday the Parliament conducted yet another positive bit of business when it rejected an overzealous EU response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. MEPs approved a report by fellow Conservative MEP for the East of England Vicky Ford that dismissed a ban on all deep water drilling in EU waters.
The report noted that the EU has much more stringent procedures than those operating in the Gulf of Mexico and that an EU wide ban would be a damagingly disproportionate response, especially when one considers that in the EU and Norway over 90 percent of oil and over 60 percent of gas produced comes from off-shore operations, mostly in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea.
However the report did call on European Regulators to improve safety standards and clean-up planning around EU oil and gas drilling sites.
International affairs
The later part of the week seemed to focus a great deal on international affairs. As Conservative International Trade spokesman in the European Parliament, a resolution conveying the Parliaments disappointment on the progress, or lack of, in the Doha Development Round international trade talks, was hardly a surprise to me. I have long known of the difficulties that a Doha deal would pose and whilst supportive of a deal, I have been an advocate of the EU pursuing bilateral deals with the world's emerging economies in order to prepare for the worst, whilst still hoping for the best.
In a resolution passed on Thursday, MEPs congratulated the Libyan people on their courage and determination, and welcomed the fall of the 42-year autocratic regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Parliament expressed full support for the National Transitional Council (NTC), and urged the EU to assist the new Libyan authorities in building a unified, democratic and pluralist Libya that guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms. MEPs called on EU Member States to seek UN Security Council authorisation to release frozen Libyan assets to help the NTC to deliver the governance Libya needs.
Although the resolutions passed by Parliament on Libya were positive, I could not help but feel that the Parliament was taking credit for the actions of NATO and its allies. The EU seems to be always chasing international events and its response over Libya was anything but coordinated and that exposed the weakness of a single EU foreign policy.
What a waste
With the ongoing crisis on Europe many have talked about British schadenfreude; the pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. I, for one, hope that the crisis can soon be resolved, but in the appropriate manner. It is also often said that the British are unhappy with the EU, well if ignorance is bliss then I for one am fine with someone calling me unhappy.
This month I will be writing two Views from Strasbourg due to the extra wasteful practice of having two visits to the other European Parliament in September. Next year the Conservatives in the European Parliament have managed to change the calendar to merge two sessions into one saving money and CO2 emissions. The European Conservative campaign to stop the monthly jaunt to Strasbourg is now strongly backed by the Parliament and one can only hope that this will be backed by the Coalition Government in the Council.
Contact Robert
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any enquiries of a European nature – I very much enjoy attending events and welcome any invitations.
Robert Sturdy MEP
Constituency Office
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Cambridge
CB23 7QJ
T 01954 211 790
F 01954 211 786
E rwsturdy@btconnect.com
W Robert Sturdy
Julia Smith – PA to Robert Sturdy
T 01954 211 790
F 01954 211 786
E rwsturdy@btconnect.com
