li:i.ii.j::;.tiir:'i:l 'iill::ii:::::ii!:n ]!11i::iiiii41 risitr.iiirii,:iii, iih;i:;: "- iir:;i::!+:? M:' .;#J i,'j,.ii:l European Commun / is published on bchalf of the Commission of the Europcan Communities. Londotr Office: 20 Kensington Palace Cardens, Loodon wE 4QQ Tel (01 ) 727 E090 Belf6t Offw Witrdsor Hous., 9,/15 B.dford StHt, New Commission President Pages 3-5 & 16 Bclfst BT2 7EC. M. Gaston Thorn of Luxembourg Tcl. (U32) ilO7O8 will head the Commission next year. Cardiff of fice: 4 Calhedral Rmd, CardiffCFl 9SG Tel. (0222) 371631 The Community's bank Pages 6-9 Edinburgh Office: ? Alva Stret, A brief guide to Finance from Edinburgh EH2 4PH the European Investment Bank. Tcl. (03 I ) 225 205E Intended to givc a concisc vicw of current Community affairs and Farm prices Pages 10-11 stimulate disussion on Europcan Member states agree 1980/81 problems, it dm not nscssarily package after tough talks. rcflct the opinions ofthe Community institutions or of its editor. Unsigned articla may be Community Pagesl2-t3 quored or reprinted without budget paymeot if their sourc€ is Growing pressure for change acknovledged. Rights in signed as resources run out. articles should be negotiated with their authors. ln eirher case, the editor would be glad to receive the Just published Pages 14-15 publication. printcrs, Printed by Edwin Sncll Page 16 Ycovil England Energr Nuclear energy: for or against? Europeqn Communirl also appears in the followinS editions: European Commun /, 2 lm M Srret, NW, Suite ?0?, W.shington DC 2@3?, USA Tcl. 202 86295@ 30 loun d'Europe,6l ruc dcs Bclles Fcuilles, ?5?t2 Paris Ccd€x 16, Frrncc. Tcl. 501 5t 85 Comunilo Europfi, Via Poli 29, 0018? Romc, Italy Tcl. 67t 97 22 Europo Gammcl Torv 4, Posa Box 144, l(n4 Copcnhagcn K, Dcnmark. Tcl. 144140/1455 t2 The Community in October EC Magazin Zitelmannstras* 22, October 7 Foreign Council 5rfl) Bonn, W. Germany Affairs Tel. 23 80 4l October 20 Finance Council Comnidad Euopea,20 ruc dc la October 20-21 Agriculture Council Loi, lo,l9 Bruwls, Bclgium Td.35m,l() October 27 Fiscal Council Euroryiki Koinotis, 2 Vusilissis Sofias, October 13-17 European Parliament T.K. l@2, Athcns 134, Grec Tcl.74l9E2/3/4 Strasbourg AYruN Toplulugt, 13 bt& Sokak October 27-30 European Parliament Kavaklidsc, Ankara, Turkcy (Budget) Luxembourg Tcl.27 61 4576 2 M. Gaston Thorn of Luxembourg will head the Commission next year EEC member Governments have incoming President, Gaston Thorn, than unanimously egreed that M. Gaston in1972. Thorn should take over from Mr Roy I have to say, then - despite lowered Jenkins as Commission President when expectations in general that my the new Commission takes office next expectations are quite high- as far as M. Janurry. Grston Thorn has a Thorn personally is concerned. distinguished European ttcord and is at To begin with, there can be few men present Luxembourg Fortign Minister - around with his experience in European and by that token, Prcsident of the politics, either in range or in time-scale. Council of Ministerc till ihe end of the When he was last President of the year. Here, Ben Patterson, Member of the Council, in 1976, the February'European European Parliament for Kent West Parliament Report' remarked that his (European Democrat), gives a 'stature politically far outstrips his parlirmentarian's view of the new country physically'. Since then, in the last President and his prospects. year and a half alone, he has been elected In December 1972- along with what to the European Parliament, re-joined the appeared to be thousands of other Government of his country, and now fills aspiring British Eurocrats I spent a the unique double role of President of the freezing week at the now burnt-out- Council and President-elect ofthe Alexandra Palace doing a Commission Commission. No wonder those who are entrance examination. One of the most sensitive about national sovereignty questions, I remember, ran something like were unhappy about his selection! this: Interestingly, he also last year came 'Write a letter to the incoming within a whisker of becoming President of President of the European Community the European Parliament as well. In view Commission, giving suggestions.' of the awful problems faced by the At the time, I was bursting with Parliament presidency since then, he may ambitious ideas, most of which I put well be counting it a lucky escape; but, at down in the hope that they might even all events, he has not been absent from reach M. Ortoli himself. If so, they Parliament's front benches for long. weren't taken up. But I did pass the exam. It is also perhaps worth remarking that Now I find myself, a Member of the Gaston Thorn's unique experience in new, elected European Parliament, in a European politics can in some measure be somewhat similar position. I confess that I attributed to the unique position of his am perhaps more cynical than eight years native country, Luxembourg. There was a ago - well, anyway, a little less sure of a revealing exchange during the European Commission President's power to Parliament's debate of 8 July on the revolutionise the world. But I suppose my programme of the incoming Council proposals are more likely to reach the Presidency, when former Commission European Commun ity August/September 1980 President Jean Rey suggested that the Court intrigues time had come for the Council to be composed primarily of the member states' Nevertheless, the very suitability of Economics rather than Foreign Ministers. M. Thorn obscures some real M. Thorn was against that; 'but not for dissatisfaction with the method of his personal reasons, as I happen to have selection. As reported, it reminded one of both portfolios.' In what other nothing sri much as the squabbles and Community country would that be intrigues of an l8th century court; and, as possible? Perhaps more important, from in the l8th century, the elected what other country would it have been representatives of the people are possible for a single man - Gaston Thorn decreasingly inclined to accept without a - to have assumed the Presidency of the murmur whatever First Minister the Council no less than four times? Monarch happens to fancy. Finally, as far as M. Thorn's During the next stage, too - the qualifications for the job are concerned, appointment of M. Thorn's colleagues - the European Parliament has particular Parliament is likely to be restive. In this reasons to be enthusiastic. case it will be inclined to back the right of It was, after all, under his last the President-elect himself to have a presidency that the Council finally came major say in who his colleagues are to be. to a conclusion on direct elections a The provisions of the Treaties in this matter which could quite easily have- field are not helpful. dragged on for years. Perhaps even more First, there is the matter of the number significant was the constitutional advance of Commissioners. At one time, before made by Parliament when M. Thorn, at the merger of the ECSC, EEC and Council Question Time, agreed to answer Euratom institutions, there were twenty- on matters of foreign policy. Since then, four. This was reduced to fourteen in 1967 questions to the Conference of Foreign and then to nine in 1970. The enlargement Ministers - a body zot covered by the of the Community in 1973 took the figure Community Treaties - on European up to thirteen, and next year (with Greece) Political Cooperation have been a regular we shall be back to fourteen. part of Parliament's agenda. Why these particular numbers? Article Roy Jenkins (left), President oJ the EEC CommbsionJor the lost four years, grets his successor, Gaston Thorn, who will toke over in January. l0 of the Merger Treaty is, in most unusable nuclear weapon' - which respects, explicit in distinguishing betrays ignorance both of constitutional Commissioners from national theory and the strategy of defence. govenrments. Commissioners are to'be The strength of the censure motion, like chosen on the grounds oftheir general that ofnuclear weapons, lies in the threat competence'; their independence is to be of its use rather than in the use itself. 'beyond doubt'. Though the European Parliament has Yet never has there been even the scarcely ever used Article 144, and never glimmer of an intention to select for successfully, the mere possibility that the competence and independene* inespective necessary two-thirds majority could be oJ notionality. By a general agreement not mobilized has more than once worked in the Treaties, the 'big' countries have wonders. been dlocated two Commissioners, the Now, it would perhips be no bad thing 'small'countries one. And this, in turn, if the first item on the Parliament's has meant that the size of the Commission Agenda next January were a formal has been determined, not on criteria of motion of censure on the new administrative effrciency' but by the Commission. In all probability it would be results of the national quotas. rejected by acclamation. Yet the mere fact Most recently, the Three Wise Men of its existence would surely strengthen recommended tle modest reform of the hand of President-elect Thorn in his cutting every country down to one dealing with the national governments, if gsmmissioner each. This has not only on the principle: 'I agree; but you happened, despite the fact that the know my brother . .t' Council is able to alter the size of the An identity of view between Parliament Commission, providing it acts and Commission over the next four years unanim6usty.