Andrew's Blog from Brussels

Michel Platini, the French football icon now head of UEFA, met with European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek last Thursday and left having agreed to be the referee for a match to be set up on the 60th Anniversary of the Schuman Declaration next year between the European Parliament and a team composed of members of national governments!

But that was not the main reason for his visit. Presidents Buzek and Platini were due to discuss a number of wide-ranging issues in their meeting, including Mr Platini's latest "Financial Fair Play" initiative, the protection of minors and the clubs that train them and the issue of betting in football, namely corruption and match-fixing.

They also spoke about the arrangements for the forthcoming UEFA EURO 2012 tournament finals which are to be co-hosted in the Ukraine and Mr Buzek's native Poland.

After signing a couple of footballs and reminiscing about former players, Mr Platini addressed the press after the meeting today saying he was extremely pleased that they share the same outlook for the sport and that Mr Buzek has "encouraged us in our efforts on Financial Fair Play, the protection of minors and their forming clubs, as well as in our fight against corruption linked to betting."

He also thanked Mr Buzek for having agreed to join UEFA's Friends of Football.

In return, Mr Buzek said these are "good policies for European football and I fully support all the initiatives of UEFA and President Platini which are crucial for football in Europe".

He also gave his backing for grassroots football and for the game to be used to help educate young people reaffirming that "there should be zero tolerance against racism, violence and doping" in the popular sport.

Focus perhaps will now turn to the future football match, and to what position Mr Buzek will allocate himself in the team. After holding one of the signed balls in his hands throughout the press conference, should perhaps he wants be the goalkeeper...?

Labels: EU, Sport

Posted by Andrew at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments

The big talk in Brussels today is the eager-awaited decision of the Czech Constitutional Court which today has rejected a challenge to the EU's Lisbon Treaty, paving the way for the sceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus to sign it.

The court ruled that the treaty - an overhaul of the EU's institutional rules and laws - is compatible with Czech national law.

The treaty "is not in conflict with the constitutional law of the Czech Republic," Pavel Rychetsky, the court's chief justice, told state TV on Tuesday (3 November).

The decision was warmly received in Brussels, where European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said: "The final hurdle has now been cleared. The decision clears the way for President Vaclav Klaus to sign and finalise the ratification of the Treaty and I am very confident he will do so."

"The Treaty of Lisbon should now enter into force by the end of the year."

"When I met President Klaus in October in Prague, I said that I was optimistic that we could find a solution," he continued.

"The Czechs have secured their opt-out on the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and due legal process has been respected. We now look forward to working on the implementation of the Treaty which greatly enhances the powers of the democratically-elected European Parliament. "

The case had been brought by a group of 17 senators and came on the back of a similar though narrower challenge last year, which the top Czech judges also dismissed.

The Czech Republic is the last EU member state to fully ratify the treaty. The process has been held up by Mr Klaus, a eurosceptic and arch opponent of the document.

His signature is all that is required to complete ratification.

Now the decision has been announced, the mass attention will now again return to just who will occupy the two major posts that the Treaty will create...

UPDATE (15.35): Reports suggest Czech President Vaclav Klaus has now signed the Lisbon Treaty! Click here for BBC report

Labels: Current Affairs, EU

Posted by Andrew at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments

While the main media's converge today on yesterday's EU Summit in Brussels centred on the granting of an exception that the Czech president made a condition for signing the Lisbon Treaty and on the possible identity of the President of the European Council that would be created once it is in force, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek made his most telling remark on the role that seems not to have been picked up.

Buried in a relatively long speech delivered before the Summit meeting, he made reference to the future post (of which Tony Blair is/was a forerunner) and said:

"As far as the position of the permanent European Council President is concerned, this person should be a 'chairman or chairwoman' rather than a President. At the same time it should be considered that a woman could and should occupy this position. Appointing a woman would send a positive signal".

This small paragraph is remarkable for two main reasons.

Firstly, Buzek's interpretation dispels the belief that the President will be the face and voice of Europe. Last week in an interview for Le Figaro, French President Nicolas Sarkozy (16 October) declared "there are two visions for the role of the permanent President of the European Council: the face and voice of Europe around the World or, as others have conceived, the President will ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the European Council (...) In reality, we are looking for Mr. Right who will do both."

Buzek's words imply that he is looking just for the latter of those visions: that the President will be one to ensure the smooth and efficient continuation of the European machinery. This is not the job that Tony Blair would be interested in, and after all, his global clout would be no good if the post did not list being the face and voice of Europe in its job description (which is still largely undefined).

Secondly, Buzek's will to see a woman appointed essentially disregards all of those candidates that have already but their names (formally or informally) forward: the likes of Mr Blair, Jean-Claude Juncker, Jan-Peter Balkenende, Wolfgang Schüssel, Felipe Gonzalez, etc...

Instead it would strongly suggest that the preferred candidate for Buzek would be Vaira Vike-Freiberga (left), who at 71 years of age is a former Latvian President whose candidacy is being heavily encouraged lately by the neighbouring Lithuania.

But just who is Ms Vike-Freiberga? Well, she was the first female president of Latvia, a former Soviet republic that joined the European Union and NATO in 2004.

She is dubbed by many as the Iron Lady of Latvia and served as President of Latvia for eight years after being elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2003.

She was a staunch supporter of intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan, which could cause divisions of opinion from the other states towards her candidacy, like we have already seen in the case of Mr Blair.

So what chance is there of a Latvian assuming the post that is to be created once the Czech Republic ratifies the Lisbon Treaty? Well, it would certainly come as a surprise. The big powers in Europe would naturally like their country to be represented, so to give the post to a country who only joined in 2004 and not one of the founders would cause a stir.

Latvia does not use the Euro as its currency (although it would like to), and its position and relationship with Russia could become important symbolic considerations should she be chosen for the post.

Set amongst the background of the other subjects addressed at the Summit it is surprising this small section of Mr Buzek's speech was not picked up by the big media outlets. José Manuel Barroso has also recently sent a rallying cry for more women to fill the top posts in the EU urging the national leaders to see "gender balance as a common goal and a shared responsibility".

So who are the front-runners in the race for EU Council President now?

Labels: EU

Posted by Andrew at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

With the second round of the latest postal strikes starting today and the Communication Workers Union warning of "more strike action, for longer periods" in the future (oh great), the cartoon published by the excellent "Matt" in the Daily Telegraph (18 September) that I have republished below becomes more and more salient.

I liked the cartoon back then, and I still like it now - I just don't like the way the UK postal service is heading.

With seemingly constantly disrupted services and the future threat, who is likely to remain loyal in the future.

Even I am starting to think twice.

An email is quicker and cheaper...

Labels: Current Affairs

Posted by Andrew at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

Premier played fourth division in this cup match, with little chance of an upset. Cheap tickets meant stadium was near full (good to see) and Verviers played very well, created better chances but couldn't convert. An unfortunate own-goal gave Anderlecht the lead and a Frutos goal 60secs after coming on as a sub killed the game. Verviers deserved better, very worthy opposition. (419)

New to the 3-Tweet review? click here.

Labels: 3Tweet

Posted by Andrew at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments