What initial conclusions can be drawn from the
composition of the new European Commission.
Aside from being different in structure, team
Juncker is also different in approach.
The President-to-be of the EC have, for a first time since this European
formation exists, made it look as close as possible to the governments in the
majority of the member states. Point number one on the way to cohesion of
European Union with its citizens, the ordinary ones.
What else is different? Besides the obvious messages the new EC brings, among which that the energy policy will be a leading one, and that apparently no enlargement is planned (since no Commissioner particularly busy with this was appointed), it seems that Juncker takes one step further towards rapprochement.
Juncker himself is different, being way loose, proactive and down to earth as behavior and not afraid to respond back if provoked. He made this very clear on the press conference following the announcement of the new commission, also before, answering remarks on his smoking and drinking habbits. Consequently, his team is different. Have we actually (and finally) achieved this pan-European participation and have we maybe took one step further towards demolishing the line between East and West, the prejudices that North knows it better than the South, have we overcame the fear that newer members are still too new to deal with serious issues? And will this be a good idea for Europe? Future can tell, Jucker surely tries to do so, if you look at his Commissioners closely.
Four out of of six Vices of the EC President are from the so-called
former Eastern block – Commissioners Georgieva (Bulgaria), Bratusek (Slovenia),
Ansip (Estonia), Dombrovskis (Latvia) - and the High Representative for Foreign
Policy, is from the South. Daring and
unusual, especially for European sceptics or admirers of the EU as a community
of the Northwest, not of all Europeans. Socially essential issues such as
health and food safety, agriculture and justice, are also distributed to
European “youngsters”, Lithuania, Ireland, Czech Republic. Going further, the
responsibility to deal with international cooperation and development is given
to the Union’s newest member, Croatia, while Romania will deal with regional policy.
All this in combination with the upcoming mandate of the Polish Prime Minister Donald
Tusk as a European Council President, distinctively speaks that a Juncker’s led
EU focuses on more than its founding members. The spotlights are put on South
and Eastern Europe. However, important
economic potrfolios were left in the hands of French and British, of course,
there needs to be balance. And guarantee. And feeling of inclusion,
particularly for the British with their recent anti-EU moods. Juncker's answer to the large criticism
the French appointment met, revealed the President's new
approach - countries should not be seen as specialized on one matter, only if
they were successful in it, but also if they deal with it in larger scale.
Guessing, the idea behind is to help and support overcoming state’s essential
problems , which was, probably the same winning argument to give Greece the
migration portfolio.
Focusing away from Northwest possesses equal
chances to be complete success and complete disaster. At this early stage,
however, it ensures that the opportunity is given, and this is a big step.
Juncker is not the first President of the EC organizationally, but is the first
in the new era, where the Union consists of both Westerners and Easterners.
Barroso was there to set the foundations and accept 13 new members, Juncker is
here to walk further.
One point in his
non-conventional structure , which deserves to be pointed is the seeming effort
to create unity as a shield, using again the feeling of inclusion and mutual
support. Central, South and East Europe could use some of both. Recent economic
crisis, hitting hardest in the PIGS countries, the waves of anti-Eastern moods across
Europe and rising Russian influence in some,
are all matters to be met with highest attention, should Juncker and
member states governments want the EU to exist. As for the shield, there will
probably always be a common enemy. At this point, it is politically incorrect
and awfully binding to openly name one, despite some indications. Better to
tighten the lines and be prepared in advance for as much as possible.
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