spotlight europe # 2007/07 – October 2007

A Chance for Wise Men

Matthias Chardon Center for Applied Policy Research, [email protected] Dominik Hierlemann Bertelsmann Stiftung, [email protected] Sarah Seeger Center for Applied Policy Research, [email protected]

The general orientation of the can be reshaped by a committee of wise men. At least that is what thinks should happen. If such a committee of wise men is to be a success, it will be of the utmost importance to prevent it from being instrumentalized in the political arena. Furthermore, what in fact is needed is a true European debate and not merely the development of specific strategies behind closed doors.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has once I again caused a stir among European poli- cymakers. On 27 August 2007, in his keynote speech on foreign policy, he sug- What is the point about a gested the appointment of a committee of committee of wise men? wise men whose task would be to think

# 2007/07 about the future of the European Union. Sarkozy’s proposals and his implicit criti- Sarkozy believes that the committee, cism that there is no debate about the fu- which will consist of ten or twelve highly ture have touched a raw nerve in the respected personalities, should present a European Union. Although originally initi- plan for the development of the EU until ated by the Commission with “Plan D”, the the year 2030 in time for the European debate has simply not taken place. It is elections in 2009. It would refer to both true, of course, that the conflicts associ- geographical issues and matters of con- ated with the European Constitution meant tent. If the committee was to be instituted, that the subject of political power in Sarkozy would be prepared to give up his Europe caused some commotion. However, opposition to the EU’s ongoing accession in the final analysis a discussion of how negotiations with Turkey. Europe should look like in the future po-

spotlight europe litically failed to materialize. The question

to which extent Europe should be deep- At the same time she made it quite clear ened and widened still is not answered. A that, whilst questions relating to enlarge- committee of wise men could take this as ment were certainly going to be discussed, its starting point and then proceed to de- they would not only be about Turkey. fine the path the EU ought to pursue. The President of the EU Commission, José As is demonstrated by a recent Bertels- Manuel Barroso, has also welcomed the mannn Foundation survey which was con- idea, though he emphasized that it would ducted between 18 and 22 September be wrong to undermine legally binding 2007, the majority of the electorates in agreements pertaining to accession nego- tiations. Neverthe- less, it was impera- tive to continue to think about the EU’s political mission and identity.

Finally, representa- tives of the have lashed out at the proposals, which they 2 consider to be a kind of relapse into meth- page ods employed in the 1960s and 1970s. They believe that, in- stead of appointing a committee of wise men, the EU ought to have a new conven- Germany, France and the United Kingdom tion with broadly-based parliamentary and

A Chance for Wise Men is in favour of appointing a committee of civil society participation. Far-reaching wise men. 65 per cent of German inter- decisions concerning the future of the viewees and 67 per cent of French inter- European Union, the critics believe, should viewees support Sarkozy’s proposals. In not be reached behind closed doors. It is the case of the British interviewees, those also noticeable that neither the current in favour (47 per cent) also have a slight Portuguese Presidency nor many of the lead. The results of the survey are also of member states have commented on the interest with regard to the responses given # 2007/07 French proposals. Many would simply like by different generations. In Germany and to ignore them altogether. the United Kingdom 74 and 61 per cent respectively of interviewees under 29 are in favour of a committee of wise men, whereas in France interviewees over 60 (71 per cent) support the idea.

On the other hand, the political response to the proposals has been mixed. At the Franco-German summit in Meseberg on 10 September 2007, German Chancellor An- gela Merkel indicated that she was basi- spotlight europe cally in favour of a committee of wise men.

II plicitly devoted to the EU’s Lisbon strategy had political consequences. The Sapir Re- port (2003), which was compiled at the Important Precursors behest of the Commission, and the Kok Report (2004), which was commissioned In recent European history there have by the , led to a revision been several examples of committees of of the Lisbon strategy. wise men or reflection groups which were

instituted in order to create renewed mo- Not all of the reports published by these mentum at critical turning points. Thus in high-level strategic councils produced im- 1956 the Spaak report paved the way for mediate results. However, most of them the Treaties of Rome. In 1975 the then Belgian prime minister, Leo Tindemans, adopted a new methodology, compiling his re- port on the future of the Commu- nity after inter-

3 viewing politi- cians, academics

page and interest groups. There was another spate of reports in the 1980s. 1984 saw the publication of Spinelli’s draft for a European A Chance for Wise Men constitution. The Adonnino report (1985), which was supposed to strengthen - pean identity, was followed by # 2007/07 the Padoa- Schioppa report (1987), which made a profound impression in the long was devoted to economic policy. Finally, term and had a lasting influence to Euro- there was the Delors report (1989) on eco- pean integration. Thus, although it proved nomic and monetary union. impossible to implement the Fouchet plans in 1961/62, they formed the starting point Recently, in 1999, there was a noteworthy for the Franco-German treaty of friendship. report on the ramifications of EU enlarge- The Werner plan, which as early as 1970 ment by a committee of wise men which suggested the establishment of a monetary included Jean-Luc Dehaene, Richard von union within ten years on the basis of a Weizsäcker and Lord Simon of Highbury. three-stage plan, initially went unheeded. spotlight europe Furthermore, two reports which were ex- However, the Treaty of Maastricht subse-

quently laid the foundations for the Euro- III pean economic and monetary union.

In the past, three positive factors have Conditions for success governed the fate of specialist groups and today councils of experts: Additionally to the experience of previous • The probability of success or at least the committees, five challenges currently fac- political leverage of committees of wise- ing European policymakers should be men increased if there was a likelihood taken into account if the committee of that the target was treaty reform or at wise men wishes to be a success. least a reform of the fundamental EU guidelines governing matters of content. • First, the heads of state and government Furthermore, the proposals had to be cou- should ensure that Nicolas Sarkozy cannot rageous and innovative. Even if the instrumentalize the committee of wise Werner plan for a monetary union was not men in order to achieve his political goals. immediately implemented, it resurfaced If the European Union wishes to retain its years later, as did Spinelli’s proposal for a credibility, the question of the geographi- European constitution. cal boundaries of the EU and in particular the subject of Turkey must not be allowed • Groups of specialists or experts should to dominate the work of the new commit- not be appointed along political lines, and tee. At the start of the accession talks with 4 thus it would be advisable to eschew par- Turkey in December 2005 the EU commit- ity, proportional representation and politi- ted itself to an impartial process guided by page cal parties. A group consisting entirely of the Commission. The outcome of the nego- diplomats and elected politicians, as, for tiations should decide whether or not Tur- example, was the case with the Westen- key can join the EU, and nothing else. If dorp reflection group in 1985, will proba- the committee of wise men were to assume bly not come up with proposals which responsibility for the decision on whether might be relevant for a debate among the or not to admit Turkey, the authority of the general public. Commission as principal negotiator would suffer immeasurably. A Chance for Wise Men “No proportional • Second, the committee of wise men representation and no should concentrate on providing political political parties” orientation, even though it would be pos- sible to exert far more political pressure • The final report of a group of experts with proposals designed to implement in- had to go far beyond an analysis and de- stitutional reforms. In the past 15 years

# 2007/07 scription of the current political situation. the legal basis of the European Union was Here it would be true to say that less is fundamentally reshaped on three occa- sometimes more. The general public sions by the treaties of Maastricht, Am- should to be included in the process in or- sterdam and Nice. The entry into force of der to encourage policymakers to think the Reform Treaty would constitute yet about the proposals advanced by the com- another profound change in the institu- mittee of wise men. For this reason there tional architecture of the European Union. is a need for something which can also be However, new debates about institutional communicated in an easily understandable reform shortly after the (possible) adop- and concise form. Examples of this are tion of the Reform Treaty might weaken Werner’s three-stage plan or subsequently the acceptance of the European Union the Delors report. even further, since the necessity of spotlight europe

additional changes after such a long period make substantial compromises. The sum- of reform would be difficult to justify. mit of the EU heads of state and govern- ment in June 2007 gave a glimpse of a • Third, against the background of the on- new style of media-based confrontation going criticism of the EU on account of its that derives from an attempt to defend democratic deficits, it would be wrong to vested interests and power. There is now evade the question of the democratic le- little sign of a strategy of sustained com- gitimacy of the committee of wise men. promise among the member states which The central innovations of the could give a new impetus to the develop- Constitutional Treaty drawn up by the ment of Europe. European Convention - which are likely to be adopted in the Reform Treaty - particu- IV larly aimed to strengthen the democratic life of the European Union. Therefore, when the committee of wise men receives New Food for Thought its mandate, this should on no account ne- It is not a foregone conclusion that the gate the principle of participation. There committee of wise men will be a success, must be sufficient opportunities for public and it cannot be guaranteed that its work debate. will have a sustained effect. However, it would be wrong to underestimate the ex- “Why not a non-European tent of what it might possibly achieve.

5 in the committee In recent years it has become apparent

page of wise men?” that both the member states and the insti- tutions of the European Union are either • Fourth, the committee of wise men partly or wholly unable to initiate a debate should not be dominated by active politi- about a common vision of the EU in 2020 cians. has already come out or 2030, and to reach certain conclusions. in favour of appointing personalities “who In the daily business of politics it is clear possess a certain aloofness, a kind of far- that the interests of what are now 27 sighted vision.” It is conceivable that they member states diverge considerably. Only might be prominent people in public life by dint of great effort was it possible to A Chance for Wise Men such as, for example, intellectuals, aca- reach a fragile compromise in the shape of demics, artists, businessmen, or sports- the Reform Treaty, which is totally uncer- men. However, there is a risk that the tain to enter into force in this form. whole project might lose credibility on ac-

count of the committee’s low-key political When the committee of wise men meets, it profile. The basic idea that the committee should aim to provide food for thought and of wise men is a strategic instrument for specific topics for a broadly-based debate

# 2007/07 long-term planning would thus be discred- among politicians and society throughout ited. On the other hand, it would be inter- the length and breadth of Europe. The fol- esting to include a non-European in the lowing issues are particularly important: committee of wise men. An unfamiliar

view from the outside might help to put an • What are the political and strategic chal- end to the Europeans’ navel gazing. lenges which the European Union will

have to meet in the years ahead, both • Fifth, the committee of wise men must within the Union and with regard to its ex- take into account the current reality of ternal relations with other states and European politics. With its 27 member global regions? states the European Union will find it very

difficult to reconcile the differing inter- • What will be the political and economic ests, goals and targets, and will have to spotlight europe significance of the European Union in the

global context, and how can it attain or V preserve this significance?

• In the light of the diverging ideas and Strengthening the predilections of the member states, how European public debate can further steps towards greater integra- tion be implemented by states in favour of As past events have demonstrated, coun- integration? What differentiation strate- cils of experts and specialist commissions gies can the European Union develop? have often been in a position to provide important and far-reaching ideas for the • How can the decision-making structures subsequent development of the European and institutions of the European Union be Union. A committee of wise men would politicized so that they will be of interest find it possible to do things which are to EU citizens and gain democratic legiti- simply out of the question in the narrower macy? What are the roles of the media, the political decision-making sphere. For this political parties, and other civil society ac- reason much speaks in favour of establish- tors? ing such a committee.

“Initiate the long-overdue On the other hand, this council is being convened in “turbulent” times in which debate” the Reform Treaty is being ratified in the A committee of wise men which consists of member states and preparations are under 6 independent members and mirrors the di- way for a new European Parliament and a new Commission. In this context a com- page versity of opinion within the Union will be in a much better position to deal with such mittee of wise men could easily be allowed questions than a committee of elected poli- to recede into the background. Further- ticians. The restriction to strategic ques- more, it would to some extent run counter tions will make it difficult to get bogged to the fundamentally new idea of greater down in details and will prevent the kind participation by both civil society and the of failure brought about by the intrusion of democratically elected members of the the business of daily politics. In such a European Parliament and the national par- best-case scenario the committee of wise liaments in the decision-making processes A Chance for Wise Men men can initiate the long-overdue debate that pertain to the future of the EU. about the ways and means the European Union might employ to meet the chal- However, if this committee of wise men is lenges with which it will be confronted convened, it should be given a chance to whether it likes it or not, for example, the show what it can do. For this to happen economic rise of the Asian region, espe- certain preconditions must be complied cially of China and India, the security pol- with. In order to work in an effective and

# 2007/07 icy risks of terrorism and weapons of mass efficient manner, the committee needs a destruction, the provision of energy sup- clear mandate. Moreover, the member plies at affordable prices, tackling climate states and EU institutions must be willing change and its effects, global migration, to take note of its recommendations. Yet and population growth. If the committee of what the committee has to say will only wise men manages to convince the mem- become widely known if its work initiates ber states of the necessity for joint Euro- a broadly-based public debate about the pean action in strategically important ar- ways and means of European integration. eas, then much will have been achieved. The election campaign for the European polls in 2009 could constitute the platform for a debate about the future of Europe that takes its bearings from the report of the committee of wise men. spotlight europe

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