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Political and defence Europe (by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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Is Strasbourg still the European symbol?

Consolidate everything in Brussels? Here the Place du Luxembourg in Brussels (© NGV / B2)
Consolidate everything in Brussels? Here the Place du Luxembourg in Brussels (© NGV / B2)

(BRUSSELS2) The seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg is indeed a recurring subject in European politics. And it becomes more increased with the economic crisis. Year after year, supporters of a regrouping of the Parliament in Brussels are gaining ground. And this movement seems inevitable. The French authorities were late in realizing the relative isolation of this position. It is not only in terms of access difficulties (now more or less resolved, with the arrival of the TGV and new airlines). It’s about the symbols…

Which city in Europe is the symbol of European reunification?

The enlargement to the east of Europe caused the Alsatian capital to lose all its symbol of reunification that it had in terms of Europe, which was based on the Franco-German couple. If today there was a place to establish a Parliament symbolizing European reunification, it would undoubtedly be Berlin which would win. And, in 10 years, Sarajevo. But certainly not Strasbourg! I have nothing against this actually pleasant city which has greatly improved in recent years with the arrival of the tramway in particular (*).

French blocking but not only

However, we know that this subject is blocked. Because it is included in the Treaty. And modifying the Treaty today, with the ratification process that follows, is quite risky. We already know that there will be a veto from at least one or two countries (France and Luxembourg, because part of the headquarters is in Luxembourg). Or even more… Because no Member State is spared from distribution – one could even say sprinkling! — from diverse and varied establishments throughout Europe. When everyone will start

Strasbourg or the agencies? We will have to choose a logic

Questioning Strasbourg is quite easy. But that's not enough... We need to overhaul the entire European system which has dotted all of Europe with small agencies almost everywhere. Some carry out work completely independent of that carried out by the European Union (the satellite center in Torrejon, the medicines agency in London or the Trademark Office in Alicante) and their remoteness poses few problems at the time of 'Internet. For others, it is more delicate, because the work is very complementary to that carried out by the European Commission. Here too, there would undoubtedly (surely) be savings to be made. I am thinking of the Frontex agency located in Warsaw, the environment agency in Copenhagen, the Foundation for the Improvement of Working Conditions in Dublin, the maritime safety agency in Lisbon, the training agency in Turin , etc. And I forget! (to see the long official list it is here).

Delete, Group, Collocate, Streamline

In any case, we must look agency by agency for their usefulness.

  • Dans l’option « basse », certains regroupements (colocalisation) auraient l’avantage de supprimer certains frais généraux : pourquoi pas l’Office des Marques à Luxembourg, auprès de la Cour de Justice, cela a une logique puisqu’il agit ? Pourquoi ne pas mettre Frontex à La Haye aux côtés des agences Europol et Eurojust ? Pourquoi garder l’Agence des Droits fondamentaux à Vienne ?
  • In the average option, some of these agencies could be, if not integrated, at least better coupled with their parent Directorate.
  • In the high option, do not hesitate to delete certain agencies or group them together. In any case, at a time of staff reduction in the European institutions and budgetary restrictions, a little rationalization would not be superfluous.

By the way, we could also review this unpleasant habit which sees certain councils of ministers taking place in Luxembourg (in April, June and October).

It is complicated…

We see that eliminating Strasbourg does not happen with the stroke of a pen. We have to go further… And, there, things get particularly complicated. Discussions about the location of institutions and agencies have always been and still are the most complicated and time-consuming part of all community discussions. All diplomats will tell you that. The first discussion on the subject (for the European Parliament) lasted several hours and even several days.

Details in the B2 Club archives: The seat of the European Parliament over time. A long series of skirmishes.

(*) Also read the excellent post from my colleague Anne Blanpain from the RTBF with whom I share the remark on hotel rates, with the exception of one or two, whose name I will not mention (confidential defense ;-))

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).