ON EU - AND THE EU SUMMIT ON THURSDAY

APRIL 21:


The next EU Summit about the ongoing corona crisis takes place on Thursday, April 23. And due to the situation it will also this time take place as videoconference. This means that each of the 27 heads of state and government and the presidents of the European Council and of the EU Commission are participating from their own offices through a secure video link.


This has been tried several times during the crisis this year. And also the “normal” meetings in the EU Council of Ministers under Croatian presidency take place in this way, also this week. My strong feeling is that video summits and video ministerial meetings will be normal in the future, also when the present crisis is over. The participants save a lot of time; they are efficient – on the condition that they are managed properly; many security measures and their costs are avoided, and the problems for the traffic, not least in Brussels, are avoided too. They are also good for the climate due to less airplanes in the air.  Bilateral meetings, which often are very important at summits, are, of course, also possible, when there are difficult issues to be handled. Are video meetings less personal?  Perhaps.  But they do not prevent that “real” meetings are organised from time to time – perhaps away from Brussels or other big cities to ensure less hectic surroundings.  And less trouble for the traffic in the cities concerned!   I believe that we will enter a new era also in this field.


And what about the contents of the summit on Thursday:  They will first discuss possible coordination of the gradual re-opening of our societies in the weeks and months to come. What is important to coordinate? What can the countries learn from each other? And what can they do to help each other?


Another very important topic on the agenda is how to get Europe on its feet again. An Investment and Recovery Plan, it is called.  And as very important interests and budgets are at stake the debate at the meeting might well be quite agitated.  This will most certainly be the case on many of the individual press briefings during and after the summit.  Politicians are often more courageous at press meetings than they are at the meeting itself.  Sometimes it is hard to see that the two events have much to do with each other ☹


The crucial truth about EU is:  it can only function, if everybody adheres to the agreed rules and decisions – AND that everybody also shows the necessary mutual helpfulness. As in the case many years ago when Denmark asked for an exception written into the Treaty, so that non-Danes could not buy Danish summer houses. The aim was to avoid that the whole Danish coast with all its beaches were bought primarily by Germans. And which EU member state supported this request from the Danish government?  Germany!   This is politics at its best!


Today there is a need for similar policies at their best. For visionary and courageous decisions at the meeting on Thursday – and those following it. Do you want the EU or not? Do you want to keep and protect the huge common market with its immense importance for all our economies? Do you want as agreed to protect the climate and the green development? Do you want to ensure that Europe with its only 10% of the world’s population is protected against the Chinese, and the political forces behind Trump and Putin? Do you want to continue to stand by the European values of solidarity and that the strongest shoulders carry the heaviest weights? Etc. etc.   If your answer is YES, then you also have to take actions and decisions accordingly - and pay what it costs.


So, have a very good and constructive summit on Thursday.  And do not panic, if all necessary decision are not taken on that meeting. There are for sure more summits to come.  With the video conference format they are easy to call.