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BackOn Wednesday, 22 October, the European Parliament confirmed the Juncker Commission. In his speech ahead of the vote, the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg stated his position on controversial issues such as TTIP or the planned investment programme. However, the new Commission President remained largely short on concrete answers.
European Parliament confirms Commission
As expected, the Commission proposed by Juncker was approved by the European Parliament with 423 votes in favour. 209 Parliamentarians voted against the proposal, 67 abstained.
In his statement ahead the vote in Strasbourg, the President commented on the structure and the content-related priorities of the Commission. He had tried to create a more political Commission, which is committed to the European Parliament, said Juncker.
No answers regarding the 300 billion investment programme
Unfortunately, in his speech, Juncker did not distance himself from the one-sided austerity course of the preceding Commission, but attempted a verbal balancing act between saving and investing. Structural reforms, fiscal credibility and investments shall go hand in hand, both at national and EU level, said Juncker. The current rules of the fiscal pact have to remain in place; however, the existing scope for flexibility should be used. Juncker intends to counteract the investments, which have dropped by EUR 500 billion resp. by 20 % since 2007, by presenting an investment package worth 300 billion euros. However, Juncker did not provide any details as to where the money would come from and which sectors would benefit from this additional capital. Still, he promised to present a draft for the Investment programme before the end of the year.
ISDS continues to be possible in TTIP
Juncker also stated his position on the controversial Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the United States. He emphasized that in the agreement of the Commission “will be nothing that limits for the parties the access to national courts or that will allow secret courts to have the final say in disputes between investors and States.” However, he purposefully did not clearly distance himself from the issue.
The fact that Juncker also entrusted the designated First Vice President Frans Timmermans (S&D) with this task, caused a stir. Together with the responsible Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, he is to provide advice in the debate on ISDS.
However, in general, the Dutch Social Democrats, to whom Timmermans belongs, are not opposed to ISDS in TTIP, but only ask for the proposed model to be improved. This fuels the fear that the provisions in respect of investor protection will only be amended instead of being cancelled altogether.
Nevertheless it demonstrates that the broad resistance in the population and campaigns such as www.no2isds.eu by AK, ÖGB and Friends of the Earth Europe obviously have had an impact.
Social Europe - lip service only?
Juncker also addressed the social dimension of the European Union. “I want Europe to be dedicated to being triple A (a reference to the highest rating of rating agencies) on social issues, as much as it is to being triple A in the financial and economic sense”
Further Information:
President-elect Juncker’s Main Messages from his speech before the European Parliament
Press release of the European Commission on the election of the Juncker Commission
As expected, the Commission proposed by Juncker was approved by the European Parliament with 423 votes in favour. 209 Parliamentarians voted against the proposal, 67 abstained.
In his statement ahead the vote in Strasbourg, the President commented on the structure and the content-related priorities of the Commission. He had tried to create a more political Commission, which is committed to the European Parliament, said Juncker.
No answers regarding the 300 billion investment programme
Unfortunately, in his speech, Juncker did not distance himself from the one-sided austerity course of the preceding Commission, but attempted a verbal balancing act between saving and investing. Structural reforms, fiscal credibility and investments shall go hand in hand, both at national and EU level, said Juncker. The current rules of the fiscal pact have to remain in place; however, the existing scope for flexibility should be used. Juncker intends to counteract the investments, which have dropped by EUR 500 billion resp. by 20 % since 2007, by presenting an investment package worth 300 billion euros. However, Juncker did not provide any details as to where the money would come from and which sectors would benefit from this additional capital. Still, he promised to present a draft for the Investment programme before the end of the year.
ISDS continues to be possible in TTIP
Juncker also stated his position on the controversial Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the United States. He emphasized that in the agreement of the Commission “will be nothing that limits for the parties the access to national courts or that will allow secret courts to have the final say in disputes between investors and States.” However, he purposefully did not clearly distance himself from the issue.
The fact that Juncker also entrusted the designated First Vice President Frans Timmermans (S&D) with this task, caused a stir. Together with the responsible Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, he is to provide advice in the debate on ISDS.
However, in general, the Dutch Social Democrats, to whom Timmermans belongs, are not opposed to ISDS in TTIP, but only ask for the proposed model to be improved. This fuels the fear that the provisions in respect of investor protection will only be amended instead of being cancelled altogether.
Nevertheless it demonstrates that the broad resistance in the population and campaigns such as www.no2isds.eu by AK, ÖGB and Friends of the Earth Europe obviously have had an impact.
Social Europe - lip service only?
Juncker also addressed the social dimension of the European Union. “I want Europe to be dedicated to being triple A (a reference to the highest rating of rating agencies) on social issues, as much as it is to being triple A in the financial and economic sense”
Further Information:
President-elect Juncker’s Main Messages from his speech before the European Parliament
Press release of the European Commission on the election of the Juncker Commission