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European Council

Naturally, those of us in the fundamentally pro-European camp feel a degree of pessimism about the present state of affairs. However, as Britain takes on the presidency of Europe it is our responsibility, as the Prime Minister will undoubtedly agree, to try to build a new consensus and a new sense of optimism about the European project. Surely, the Council was right to call for a much broader debate among member states during this ““period of reflection”” over what happens to the constitutional treaty. Does the Prime Minister agree that being pro-European in no sense precludes being pro the reform of European institutions for the better, and that the two in fact go hand in hand? On Thursday, when the Prime Minister addresses the European Parliament, he will be required to set out his vision of how Europe will develop. Can he give us some more detail this afternoon about what that vision will be? In that regard, does he agree that, especially in the Balkans, the prospect of EU membership is a great driver for positive change as well as for regional stability? Will he ensure that under his presidency Britain maintains the momentum for that enlargement? The Prime Minister was undoubtedly correct over the past few days not to agree to a fudged deal over the budget. There is still time to agree a new package before 2007. But the Prime Minister did not begin to make the public case for reform, especially of the common agricultural policy itself, until it became clear that the United Kingdom rebate was under threat. In retrospect, surely that was a mistake. Why did he wait so long to make that coherent case for reform? What are the prospects for a deal on the budget under the British presidency, and will he bring forward specific proposals, during our presidency, for a reformed budget? Despite all the difficulties, however, the agreements made on international development at the summit, especially the increase in aid to Africa, were welcome. Will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to confirm that the UK will meet the United Nations target on aid of 0.7 per cent. of gross domestic product before the EU deadline of 2015?