Interview given by M. Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Minister of State responsible for European Affairs, to “France Inter” (excerpts)
Paris, 10 May 2008
Q. – How have you been preparing for the French European Union presidency?
THE MINISTER – First of all, I prepared for it by visiting our 26 European Union partners, from Lithuania to Portugal, via Cyprus and Finland. So I’ve seen all our partners, which was important, on one hand to tell them about the areas we’ll be focusing on, and on the other, to understand their expectations and constraints vis-à-vis this presidency. As the presidency, in order to serve the European general interest, you have to know your partners’ expectations and constraints. That’s the first thing.
The second is that I met all the European commissioners to take stock on the issues. This is also important, because the Commission has a right of initiative and, during the presidency, we work on the basis of proposals made by the Commission. So it’s in our interest to have a very close dialogue.
Thirdly, I met all the European Parliament group and committee chairmen. These are the European MEPs who will be voting on the measures we’ll be trying to get through in the Council. We’ll make sure we have a very close dialogue with the Parliament which, as you know, will see its powers extended with the future Lisbon Treaty, if it’s ratified.
The French presidency is taking place at a turning point for Europe, before the European Parliament elections and appointment of a new Commission, in June and November 2009 respectively. So it’s a particularly heavy timetable for the end of a European parliamentary term.
(…)
Q. – What are the burning issues for this French European Union presidency?
THE MINISTER – (…) The most important issue, where success is essential, concerns energy and the fight against global warming. Why? We have two important meetings: a conference in Potsdam at the end of 2008 and another in Copenhagen to prepare the post-2012 period and the commitments every member of the international community will have to make. The aim is to ensure our planet’s future by cutting CO2 emissions and promoting renewable energy – I’m thinking particularly of nuclear power. Europe has to set the example and very many extremely important texts have to be signed under French presidency.
The second priority is controlling migration flows. The third concerns Security and Defence Europe, and the fourth the Common Agricultural Policy, with all this in the context of preparing for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, once the 27 have ratified it./.