Graham's blog Friday 25 June 2010

Published on Fri 25th Jun 2010

Probably the most important EU development this week was the agreement in Madrid between the European Parliament and the European Council (which represents the governments of the 27 member states) on the setting up of the new European External Action Service (Diplomatic Corps). Provided for in the Lisbon Treaty, this body should be up and running by the end of the year. Parliament has won the right to full oversight of its activities, including scrutiny of its budget, which will be managed by the European Commission. At least 6 in every 10 of its officials will be permanent EU employees, which should ensure that their primary loyalty is to the EU as a whole rather than the member state from which they come. The agreement reached between the negotiators has now to be formally approved by each institution.

My week started with a meeting with Joseph Gallacher, new head of the SW region's Brussels office, who is naturally concerned for the future of the office since the SW RDA is its prime financier. Having worked hard with Ian White MEP back in the 1990s to have such an office established I would be sorry to see its future under threat; a very small staff there already achieves big things.

Herman van Rompuy, the President of the European Council, came to Parliament this week to report on last week's summit. He again had to face insults from Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom Independence Party. But he acquitted himself well in the debate and appears to be eclipsing somewhat Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso; Van Rompuy is certainly taking a hands-on approach to management of the European Council, securing difficult compromise agreements between the leaders of the 27 member states.

On Tuesday I met Chinese Ambassador Song Zhe with a small number of other MEPs working on combating climate change, to continue a dialogue which we started with him two months ago. China is taking more determined action against climate change than the EU; we 'talk the talk', but there is much evidence they are 'walking the walk'. Of course, it is easier if you have an authoritarian government! Democracies are too often run by crisis management, with serious decisions being taken only when it becomes very urgent to act. Action on climate change now occupies more of my time than any other matter.

That afternoon I attended a meeting of parliament's international trade committee for the first time ever. As chairman of the EP's delegation for relations with India I was invited to give my opinion of the soon-to-be-proposed EU-India free trade agreement. Both sides are keen to reach agreement and the potential for a substantial growth in trade is huge; but India refuses to include any clauses on civil, social or environmental policy, which means that MEPs are likely to say No. I urged colleagues to try at least to find another satisfactory forum for the regular discussion of such issues.

Today I am in Cornwall at a meeting of the region's MEPs with the County's economic managers; tomorrow in London for a meeting of the British Group of the Liberal International and on Sunday in Bath, entertaining a former higher education minister from Hungary. Next week the EP's Liberal group will meet in Bilbao, where we will learn about tensions in the Basque country.

The best news of my week is that John Harper publishing will publish the book I have written about the Liberal contribution to the building of the EU. My previously intended publisher is in financial difficulties.