EU constitution 'priority of priorities' says Pöttering

The overriding priority for the European Parliament’s centre right EPP group is the ratification of the new EU constitution, according to group leader Hans-Gert Pöttering.

“For the EPP, the European constitution is our priority of priorities,” said Pöttering at a briefing on his group’s long term agenda.

And the German MEP said he was relieved that the first major hurdle on the road to ratifying the constitution – Tuesday’s comfortable French socialist victory in favour of campaigning for a yes vote in a national referendum – had been successfully negotiated.

“A no vote would have been disastrous, but I’m happy that the French socialists voted for the constitution.”

Pöttering vowed to fight until the very end to get a yes vote for the constitution, admitting that the road to ratification - especially in key referendums in the UK, Poland and the Czech Republic – would be a difficult one.

“Of course there are uncertainties, but I’m optimistic of success.  [The constitution] is the basis for EU democracy and peace in the 21st century.”

Laying out his group’s agenda for the next five years, at a briefing organised by the Brussels based Centre for European Policy Studies, Pöttering’s priorities also included European competitiveness, chemical and fiscal policy, EU neibourhood and Mediterranean strategy and Turkish EU membership.

Reflecting the priority of the new centre-right commission president José Manuel Barroso, whom Pöttering referred to as “one of us”, he targeted Europe’s flagging competitiveness strategy, the so-called Lisbon agenda.

“The EU must become more competitive,” he said, insisting that the EU must be more ambitious in areas such as the controversial REACH chemicals policy.

“We must find a balance between ecology and economy.”

Comments which will not go down well with European Socialists who are already concerned with the new commission’s lack of social credentials

On the divisive issue of Turkish entry to the EU, where Pöttering’s group have been criticised for coming out against membership, he rejected arguments that accepting Turkey would create a ‘bridge to the Islamic world’.

“It’s not a question of religion,” he said

“What do you say to countries like Morocco or Tunisia? That Muslims are welcome to the EU if they are Turkish, but other Muslims are not?”

And he argued that the EU could enlarge itself to death.

“If the EU enlarges too much, there could be no European identity left.”

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