The ambitious work programme of the Belgian Presidency comes with a clear message: a commitment to more Europe. After recent elections and with the formation of a new government still underway, Belgium may internally be in turbulent waters, but it is steering its European politics with a steady hand.

 

Europe is facing a deep social divide and a successful Presidency must address worsening unemployment and increasing inequalities. Still today, the costs of the financial crisis are a heavy burden on the shoulders of European workers. The Belgian Presidency has dedicated itself to re-launching the economy and boosting economic growth by making the EU a driving force for structural reforms, the creation of jobs and increased competitiveness. By implementing the EU 2020 strategy for employment and growth the EU can make huge steps towards a green and knowledge-based economy with growth in employment. In the European Year of combating poverty and social exclusion, Belgium wants to promote social cohesion and make progress on services of general interest, including pension reform.

 

We fully support the Africa-Strategy of the Belgian Presidency as it has the potential to bring the lost continent back into the limelight. At the forthcoming EU-Africa Summit Europe has, in contrast to most global players currently engaged in Africa, indeed something to offer: a partnership on equal footing.

 

The internal dimension, the creation of an open and safe Union by implementing the Stockholm Programme, will be complemented by an external dimension: the continuation of EU's enlargement policy and putting in place the European External Action service.

 

I welcome the commitment to the community method made by Belgian Prime minister Yves Letterme in the European Parliament  last  Wednesday. A trend towards renationalising decision-making has been evident recently in the Council. Coordination among member-states is painstakingly slow - the only point the Council seems to be able to agree on, is that that they can not agree on anything. Back home, the heads of states and governments then blame this indecisiveness and inability to act on the inertia of the EU. But the crisis of the EU is not a crisis of EU institutions: it is a crisis of its member states. The Parliament and the Commission are able and willing to act.

 

The first practical test the Belgian Presidency faces will be to shepherd the financial supervisory package through the Council. So far, the heads of state and government have not lived up to their responsibility to better regulate and supervise the financial sector. The European Parliament has approved the financial supervisory package, but has adjourned the final vote to September in order to give the Council a chance to prove its commitment to real reform of the financial markets. We want a European response to the crisis, one that makes those responsible for the crisis pick up the bill and prevents it from recurring. Now it is time to take the bull by the horns. To succeed, we need to ensure that the pro-European Belgian Presidency lives up to its promises.

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