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newsanalysis Pat Cox: EPP-PES parliament presidency deal likely Former parliament president Pat Cox has played down the chances of his party colleague Graham Watson landing the assembly’s top job. Cox says it is “unlikely” Watson will be elected to the post currently occupied by Hans-Gert Pöttering. He said that “on the balance of probabilities” the current arrangement to share the job between the two biggest groups, the EPP and PES, will continue. “This is no reflection whatsoever on Graham Watson who knows parliament and the conference of presidents very well and is a very good linguist,” said Cox. “He has also been a very good ALDE leader and can be justifiably proud of his record. Rather, this is all about numbers, specifically, the number of MEPs who can be mustered to support a Watson presidency. Speaking to this magazine, Cox also refused to be drawn on speculation that he is being lined up to replace Charlie McCreevy as Ireland’s next EU commissioner. He said, “I am told that Irish bookmakers are taking bets on this and are offering reasonably short odds on my prospects. I have been asked the question several times but wish to stress I am the subject of the speculation, not the author of it.” Majority of public oppose second Barroso term New opinion poll findings suggest José Manuel Barroso does not enjoy widespread public support for a second term as commission president. A poll on the homepage of the Czech EU presidency, says 73 per cent of respondents believe he should not be reappointed while only 23 per cent said he should. Separate data published by Simon Hix, of the London School of Economics, puts Barroso fourth in a list of favoured candidates for the post. Some 50 per cent voted for Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, former Danish PM, 22 per cent for Greens co-leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit, nine per cent for ex-Belgian prime minister Guy Verhoftstadt and just eight per cent for Barroso. One EU insider said, “This latest set of statistics seems to point to a gulf between what EU policymakers are saying about who should lead the commission and what citizens want. If the public had their way, this is not a done deal.” However, some states are keen for the whole matter to be resolved sooner rather than later to avoid a power vacuum at the heart of the EU. Sweden’s EU ambassador, speaking at an EPC event in Brussels earlier this month, has called for Barroso to be nominated without delay. Cohn-Bendit urges debate on next EU commission president Greens leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit has said there is a “sufficient majority” of MEPs to block José Manuel Barroso’s re-election as commission president. Speaking in parliament last week, Cohn-Bendit said there was “no centre-right or centre-left” majority in favour of Barroso serving a second term. He told reporters that an open debate should be held to select a candidate for the five-year term. Cohn-Bendit said that if MEPs are asked to vote on the issue at their first post-election session next month, a majority will block his re-appointment. He said, “There is absolutely no argument for his reappointment now. If, at the end of the day, a majority of parliament vote for him, then so be it. If a majority vote against him, then so be it. But, please, let us have an open debate on who the next president should be.” Ousted British MEP linked with top EU job Former British Socialist MEP Richard Corbett has been linked with one of the EU’s top jobs. Corbett, one of Labour’s senior MEPs, was ousted by Andrew Brons of the British National Party in the European elections. According to the Economist, he is a possible candidate for the vacant post of head of the commission’s office in the UK. No decision has been taken but Corbett told the Parliament Magazine that he would be interested in the job. “The more I think about it, the more I like it,” he said. “It is certainly something I could do and I do not rule it out.”According to the Charlemagne blog on the Economist website, Corbett, a constitutional expert, would be the ideal candidate to help counter the notoriously eurosceptic UK press. 22 June 2009 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 9 Issue 291 22 June 2009 “For us at EU level, the impact of the crisis on jobs is our number one concern” The heart of Europe Vladimír Špidla on Employment Week, the commission’s social recovery plan and what the EU can do to protect jobs Employment Week John Monks, Annemarie Muntz, Tine Radinja, Lu PARTNERING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN EUROPE The environmental challenges facing the world are too big to be solved in isolation. It will require a serious effort from all of us. Microsoft is working with governments, NGOs, and business partners to address sustainability challenges through Dear Members of the Eu ropean Parliament, and largest animal PCA – is the world’s oldest of Cruelty to Animals – RS Prevention The Royal Society for the welfare charity. s of animals ever since. to save and improve the live 24, we have been working Established in 18 5 days a year. ting welfare com Issue 291 22 June 2009 newsanalysis 7 Parliament news 12 Truly EU The far right, Barroso’s presidency bid, EU whistleblowers Radical reform of the European election system is needed, and Andrew Duff believes pan-European candidate lists could be the solution 24 Poverty matters Member states must catherinestihler Editorial team Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Martha Moss Francesca Ross Louise Tait International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0)2 285 0828 newsdesk@theparliament. www.theparliament.com Editorial board Editor Catherine Stihler MEP E GREEN STREETS The Green Streets two day conference, supported by the Committee of the Regions and EUROCITIES along with media partner Regional Review, will bring together high level speakers, representatives from Europe’s regional authorities and EC project leaders to: Europe’s urban spaces REDUCIN newsanalysis Horse trading for top jobs begins as EPP confirmed as biggest group The final results of the European elections show the EPP group won 264 seats compared with the Socialists’ 161. Final figures show 43.2 per cent of Europe’s citizens turned out to vote, slightly higher than initial est parliament NEWS BNP in talks to form far right EU parliament group British National Party leader Nick Griffin has confirmed he is in talks with four other parties about forming a new group in the parliament. One is Jobbik, the far right Hungarian party, which won three seats. Others involved in the newsanalysis Pat Cox: EPP-PES parliament presidency deal likely Former parliament president Pat Cox has played down the chances of his party colleague Graham Watson landing the assembly’s top job. Cox says it is “unlikely” Watson will be elected to the post currently occupied by Hans-Gert Pöttering parliament NEWS Anti-treaty party hits back at ‘disastrous’ EU election result Defeated Declan Ganley, leader of anti-Lisbon treaty party Libertas, has made a robust defence of the party’s performance in the European elections. Speaking to this magazine the multi-millionaire Irishman hit back at cr Western Balkans show the way on lifelong entrepreneurial learning private partnership to take it forward. The Chamber of Economy provides the necessary ‘pull’ factor in Croatia’s partnership arrangements for entrepreneurial learning. Meanwhile, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is planning a European elections | Electoral reform Truly EU Radical reform of the European election system is needed, and Andrew Duff believes panEuropean candidate lists could be the solution Andrew Duff leads the UK Liberal Democrats in the European parliament T T he recent European election campaign, as e Tuesday 3 November 2009 The Stanhope, Brussels “Thank you, it’s like winning a Grammy.” 2008 I NTERNAL M ARKET AND C ONSUMER P ROTECTION WINNER T OINE M ANDERS MEP “This parliament is probably the best parliament in the world. Each of us on every dossier tries to reach agreement, and produce quali Lisbon agenda | Innovation An agenda worthy of the A broader, more inclusive understanding of innovation is vital if the Lisbon agenda is to successfully tackle future economic and social challenges, argues Ann Mettler eflection on the Lisbon agenda post-2010 is in full swing, and few words are use newsanalysis name research spending is very much tied to the industrial age and the post war era, when innovation took place incrementally and by a few select actors. Today, innovation, particularly in the service sector, is less about long standing research and more about speedy market entry and a COVERSTORY The heart of Europe The commission’s proposals to deal with the economic crisis are part of a social recovery plan that goes to the very heart of the European project, says Vladimír Špidla very year, the Employment Week initiative puts European employment policy in the spotlight. At this Employment Week | Job creation Rethinking the future Change is needed if the European economy is to benefit from the creation of secure and sustainable jobs, writes John Monks “This crisis, with its dramatic and negative effects on workers, should be an opportunity to rethink Europe’s future” The E COVERSTORY Unveiling the secret agent Agency work can play a key role in mobilising the workforce and promoting flexicurity, writes Annemarie Muntz aising employment levels, enhancing workers skills and supporting adaptation to change will be the main themes discussed at this year’s Employment Week Employment Week | Youth Arrested development Investing in youth is essential to ensure a smooth transition from education to the labour market, writes Tine Radinja oung people in Europe today are less likely to enjoy stable and decent employment as a result of the economic crisis. In the EU in Apri COVERSTORY Supply and demand nemployment in Europe is set to rise due to the current economic downturn and the percentage will be dangerously close to double digits in the coming months. The economic and social effects of the crisis are closely linked and must therefore be jointly addressed. Ignori Employment Week | Skills forecast Filling in the blanks O A comprehensive European skills forecast could help improve the competitiveness of companies and the employability of workers, argues Aviana Bulgarelli Leonie Stamatopoulou Aviana Bulgarelli is director of Cedefop, the European Centre for Consultancy for succeeding in Europe for your research projects www.welcomeurope.com the portal to know everything on the Framework programme for research and development (FP7) Calls for proposals on FP7 Training specialised on FP7 Advice for any understanding on the FP7 Daily news of FP7 funds T Employment Week | Poverty Poverty matters Member states must do more to promote minimum income schemes in the name of human dignity, says Claire Champeix ore than 79 million people are facing poverty in the EU today. It is time member states start to concretely implement what they have already comm T Employment Week | Social Europe Avoiding a social tsunami Knut Arne Sanden calls on the new commission and parliament to promote a social Europe “Following the recent European elections, now is the time to strengthen Europe and to restore its social ambitions” market. The new buzzword, flexicurity COVERSTORY Union dues Brian Synnott sets out the role of public service unions in tackling the economic crisis T he European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) held its eighth congress between 8 and 11 June. The congress took place in Brussels and brought together over 600 trade union lea Employment Week Employment week: agenda WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 09:30 10:30 OPENING PLENARY GREEN JOBS AND GROWTH: MYTH OR REALITY? Speakers: Marko Curavic, Head of Unit, Entrepreneurship, DG ENTR, European Commission Reiner Hoffman, Deputy Secretary General, ETUC Barbro Carlqvist, Senior Economic Advis specialreport Up to the challenge Giovanni De Santi believes biofuels will play an important role in allowing the EU to meet its renewable energy and climate change targets T he recently approved directive on the ‘promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources’ sets several ambitious targe IF THIS MAKES YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, IMAGINE HOW IT MAKES HER FEEL specialreport Policy pathways Policymakers face some tough challenges if they are to ensure the long-term growth of a sustainable biofuel industry, writes Tammy Klein T he continual evolution of biofuels as a substitute for conventional fuels proves that there are no easy solutions to complex pol EUROPE MEETS AT THE RENAISSANCE With 10 years of experience, the Renaissance Brussels Hotel knows about Europe. Over the years we have hosted delegations from countries all over the Union, and like Europe, the Renaissance is constantly evolving. Our meeting rooms and our restaurant have recently bee insideeu Football focus Michel Platini is looking forward to working with a new team of football friendly MEPs as the new season prepares for kick off T he European parliament is refreshing its team for a new season. Just as Europe’s football clubs have used the summer break to bring in new talen EU Sports platform Platform for success Martin Banks reports on a new platform to help sports connect with the EU T he words “sport” and “EU” do not, on the face of it, appear mutually compatible. As it is not a direct competence of the EU, the world of sport is rarely on the agenda for Brussels insideeu Champions league t might not necessarily be as exciting as a discussion about who your team is going to buy over the summer or their prospects for next season. But the “six-plus-five” rule is of huge significance and transcends the importance of any single club. The plan, championed by Fif Football belongs to everyone, everywhere UEFA is building thousands of mini-pitches across Europe, creating new public spaces for young people to play. With UEFA, football means solidarity. We redistribute the revenues from our competitions to all levels of the sport, amateur and professional.