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News report : 27-05-97
Brussels, 27 May 1997
Elections must be held in Albania in June, says Vranitzky
ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD IN ALBANIA IN JUNE,
SAYS VRANITZKY This is the position defended by Mr VRANITZKY, the OSCE special envoy to Albania, before the members of the foreign affairs committee (Chairman: Tom SPENCER - EPP, UK) on 27 May.
Mr VRANITZKY presented the results as well as the unresolved items
from yesterday's meeting in Rome attended by representatives of
Albania's political movements, the EU, the OSCE, the US
representative, Mr KORNBLUM, the Council of Europe and the
OECD. This meeting confirmed the political contract concluded on 9
May by Albania's political movements on the holding of free and fair
elections on 29 June. This was a preliminary meeting to prepare a
major conference on Albania on launching international cooperation
with Albania at the economic and social levels which is frozen for the
time being.This conference will take place after the election.
Mr VRANITZKY explained the development of the crisis in Albania
and reported on the current difficulties: "the conditions for holding
elections are risky but we must stick to the decisions and organise
the elections now and make every effort to ensure that they take
place normally and that the result is accepted". However, the Albanians do not feel capable of
assuming the responsibility on their own for organising the elections. "Greece, Italy and Austria
are giving a hand with organising the police but this will not be enough". Observers will need to
be recruited and support staff and back up activities will need to be arranged. A joint Council of
Europe/OSCE assessment of the election process is desirable.
In reply to many questions from MEPs, Mr VRANITZKY acknowledged that the security situation
was precarious and that there was a risk of the elections being challenged and even of a post
electoral crisis. Yet, in his view, there was no alternative to holding the elections in June:
"Albania needs immediate financial and economic support. The World Bank, the IMF, the EBRD
already have projects which remain frozen. But there was also public opinion and the
parliaments of the countries which had sent troops to Albania were reluctant. And then there was
public opinion in Albania which had to be convinced that Europe as a whole was ready to
provide help". He expressed his satisfaction at the way in which the three areas of activity had
been coordinated in Albania: the multinational protection force spearheaded by Italy, the EU
representation under the Dutch Presidency which was covering the humanitarian aspects and
the OSCE activities dealing with democratic issues, human rights and the organisation of
elections. "Cooperation is working very well, we are pursuing the same objective and speaking
with one voice".
Of course, joint action by the EU on Albania would be welcome but the international community
cannot take on the responsibility for the elections. As for the mandate of the multinational
protection force, he agreed with the idea that it should be extended beyond 28 June and, should
the EU so decide, to do so under the flag of the European Union. "But to achieve this, we would
have to convince public opinion in our countries that this would not represent a military
obligation. The military presence will need to be transformed gradually into a civilian mission of
cooperation". What would be the disaster scenario? "That the holding of elections was prevented
at the last minute or that the results were challenged but we have a month of fire fighting to
ensure that this does not happen".
At the close of the debate, the foreign affairs committee decided to prepare a recommendation
for the Council (Rule 92 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure) calling on it to act to secure the
extension of the mandate of the Multinational Protection Force (MPF) after 28 June and to try to
reach agreement on a joint action by the EU in Albania, including the mandate of the MPF.
Further information: Georgios GHIATIS - Tel. 284 22 16 - Jonna BYSKATA
Common foreign and security policy in 1996: a disappointing record
COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY IN 1996: A DISAPPOINTING RECORD This is the main message of the report drawn up by the Chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Tom SPENCER (EPP, UK), which was adopted on 26 May. He emphasised that in terms of organisation, transparency and the potential for action by the EU, the CFSP had made an unconvincing start in the eyes of the European public. The CFSP was still the expression of the interests of the Member States at intergovernmental level and it lacked a solid and consistent institutional framework thus depriving EU action of the necessary effectiveness. The IGC must remedy this situation. The report criticised the Council's very restrictive use of joint actions and positions as well as the delays in framing a common security policy and in coordinating defence policies. It reiterated the idea of eventually integrating the WEU in the EU.
The Committee emphasised the need to conclude an interinstitutional agreement on this subject
and took the view that the operating expenditure of the CFSP should be entered in the
Community budget. This spending must remain non compulsory in order to allow proper
parliamentary scrutiny. The Council was called on to consult and inform Parliament
systematically before adopting and implementing joint positions and actions.
Reviewing the implementation of the CFSP in 1996, the committee criticised the absence of a
common position on Bosnia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the lack of initiative with
regard to Kosovo and the ineffectiveness of EU policy towards the crisis in Albania. The
weakness of Community diplomatic activity concerning Cyprus and relations with Turkey and the
lack of a common position on NATO enlargement and relations with Russia were also the
subject of criticism along with the divisions within the EU on the subject of relations with China.
At the same time, it took a positive view of the joint action in designating a special EU envoy to
the Middle East and felt that opportunities remained to be exploited for Community action in
Africa (Great Lakes region, Zaïre, Burundi, Rwanda). It hoped for stronger action from the
Council in banning anti-personnel mines and called for an overall action programme for EU
relations with Latin America.
Further information: Georgios GHIATIS - Tel: 284 22 16
German opposes unanimity requirement for enhanced integration
GERMANY OPPOSES UNANIMITY REQUIREMENT FOR ENHANCED INTEGRATION The German Chancellor's personal representative to the IGC, Mr Werner HOYER, stated when he appeared before the institutional committee (Chairman: Biagio DE GIOVANNI - PES,I) on 26 May that "flexibility" or "enhanced cooperation/integration" had become the overriding issue at the IGC. This basic principle should allow the EU to progress towards new areas of integration even if all the Member States did not want to or could not do so. During his speech, Mr HOYER gave a brief summary of the European Council meeting in Noordwijk and then dealt with the general situation at the IGC and Germany's position on the issues for negotiation. In addition to flexibility, a very important question for Germany in this reform of the Treaties was subsidiarity. Germany wanted a protocol setting out this principle in coherent terms. Mr HOYER felt that subsidiarity should not entail a "re-nationalisation" of Community policies.
The German representative to the IGC gave an initial positive appraisal of the Dutch
Presidency's draft Treaty. On the question of qualified majority voting, he emphasised that,
although almost everyone had agreed on the general principle, there were problems on a case-
by-case basis. As for the common foreign and security policy, Mr HOYER believed that there
would be progress towards a more dynamic and consistent CFSP. "There will be a Secretary
General who will be the face and voice of the CFSP". An issue on which Germany's position
seemed somewhat controversial concerned the role of the Court of Justice. Mr HOYER
highlighted the criticisms levelled by some states at the Court's tendency to hand down rulings
that were too legislative in nature. He added however that the role of the Court must be
strengthened in order to guarantee the legal protection of citizens while emphasising that "the
Court of Justice must deliver decisions and not legislate".
Further information: Josep Maria RIBOT - Tel. 284 42 99
Social fund should improve working skills and provide retraining
SOCIAL FUND SHOULD IMPROVE WORKING SKILLS AND PROVIDE
RETRAINING The European Social Fund should improve working skills and provide retraining for the unemployed. This is a view which was expressed by several MEPs and representatives of the European Commission during a debate which was organized by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (chaired by Stephen HUGHES - PES, UK) on Monday. Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Hywel Ceri JONES, Deputy Director General of DG V, stated that Europe had a two-speed labour market. The demand side was constantly running in the fast lane, requesting new skills from a labour market which could not keep up with the changes of modern society. As a result, social exclusion was increasing everywhere. Therefore, it was important that the European Union concentrated on improving labour skills and promoting retraining of the most disadvantaged groups. The European Social Fund (ESF) should become a job creating instrument by providing complementary solutions to national employment strategies. This would require increased partnership with local authorities and non-governmental organizations, a simplification of ESF administrative practices and close monitoring in order to maintain the quality of ESF funded projects. First and foremost, local authorities should be closely involved in the planification and implementation of these projects.
Mr Padraig FLYNN, Commissioner for Social Affairs, reminded the committee that despite
economic growth, poverty had increased in Europe during the past few years. At present, one
out of six households lives below the poverty line. Unemployment was twice as high as in the
United States and three times what it was in Japan. Hence, promoting employment must remain
a crucial aim of the Social Fund. The ESF should work in close cooperation with local authorities
in order to improve the situation of the most disadvantaged groups.
Referring to the IGC, Mr Flynn believed that the social dimension will be incorporated in the
revision of the Treaty. According to Mr Flynn, the social domain needs a strong legal basis so
that it becomes reality and leads to concrete action being taken against social exclusion.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Hughes, chairman of the Committee, gave a personal account of
what risks and possibilities were involved in the changes of the labour market. He said that his
own father had worked as a coal miner and learned to read and write in his twenties. Later on,
when there were increasing pressures to close down the mines, he went on with his studies and
became an electrical engineer in his early forties. Obviously, this had great repercussions for the
future of the whole family.
Further information: Eero YRJÖ-KOSKINEN - Tel. 284 48 96
Strengthening economic and security cooperation in the Baltic region
STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC AND SECURITY COOPERATION IN
THE BALTIC REGION
The Commission is asked to improve the quality of aid provided to the Baltic countries in order to
support their reform effort. Their membership of the EU will ensure greater political stability in the
region, increase security for Europe as a whole and economic advantages both for the EU and
for the countries in question. Additional measures are also necessary to improve regional
infrastructure, to combat pollution in the Baltic region more effectively and to secure a level of
nuclear safety, particularly in Lithuania and the Russian Federation, in line with Western
standards. The Council is requested to use its influence with Russia to facilitate the conclusion
of an agreement between her and Estonia on their borders. The Commission is urged to
cooperate with the Baltic Sea Council and with other international organisations (OSCE, Council
of Europe, Barents Sea Council) so as to promote stability in the region. Meetings between the
European Parliament and the parliaments of the countries bordering the Baltic would be useful in
strengthening political cooperation and preparing for economic integration in the EU.
Further information: Georgios GHIATIS - Tel: 284 22 16
Environment: a new impetus for employment
ENVIRONMENT: A NEW IMPETUS FOR EMPLOYMENT Introducing the public conference on environment and employment organised jointly by the Parliament and the Commission, Ken COLLINS (PES, UK), Chairman of the environment committee and Commissioners Ritt BJERREGAARD and Padraig FLYNN emphasised that environment and employment were not irreconcilable and that protecting the environment opened up new prospects for employment. Inversely, if the standards of environmental protection fell there would be a risk of increased unemployment.
In addition to the case studies which were produced to illustrate this mutual dependence, figures
were also put forward. For example, the world market in environment technologies represented
some 250 billion Dollars. According to Adrian WILKES (British Environmental Industries
Commission), "the market in environment technologies will represent the second industrial
market after that in information technologies".
In addition to the jobs associated with reinstatement, clean technologies represented substantial
reserves of lasting jobs. This did however call for a transformation in the structures of production
and consumption capable of guaranteeing lasting and sustainable growth and development.
Nevertheless, some reservations were expressed particularly by Mr LEPAS (UNICE). In his
view, business competitiveness was fundamental and he expressed doubts as to the
opportunities for job creation associated with environmental spending.
Among the several avenues explored in seeking to highlight the link between employment and
environment were: better information, greater involvement in and decentralisation of the decision
making process, alteration to traditional policies, particularly taxation, the contribution of the
structural funds which must be geared more to environmental projects. The Commission would
shortly be submitting a communication covering these various points.
Mr COLLINS concluded by emphasising the need for better legislation and more effective
coordination between the various policies.
Further information: Patrick BARAGIOLA - Tel: 284 32 51
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