Euromedia

Italy and the Big Three

As we all saw in the last few days (see articles on the Berlin summit and the Big Three), the struggle for power and the fear for a country’s dominance are not confined to the US VS Europe strategic competition/conspiracy. Europe has its own internal tensions, too.
In this phase of expansion and re-definition, every little step seems crucial (therefore controversial) for the attribution of a future European leadership.
As Francis mentioned, the Berlin meeting raised a lot of polemics in Italy, especially from Berlusconi, who called the meeting a “pastiche” and opposed the idea of a European “directory” altering the EU foundation (a union based on equality and unanimity of all members.)
The article says that the main result of the Berlin meeting was an agreement about a new “Super Commissary for the European Economy” that – according to Schroeder - would have the goal “to make the EU the most competitive area in the world.”
While underlining the economic competition between EU and the US (helped by the Euro), Schroeder recalled that the “Three Big” have no will of dominance in Europe. And that that the idea of an exclusive summit between the three countries that have the 50% of the European GDP is “natural.”
Now, I definitely think that the three-vertix summit was natural. And we all know that Berlusconi, with his proverbial egotism, always tends to take it personally. But it’s also natural that Italy, as a borderline power and a founding father of the EU, doesn’t like to be excluded from the process. And the idea of a two-speed Europe and a European directory based on economic strength is problematic and questionable.
While the EU is trying to build its institutional, constitutional, political and cultural common identity, should the economy (the GDP) be the only distinctive factor in the decision-making process?
The fact is that – before the War in Iraq – Berlusconi, Aznar and Blair formed a new pro-war, pro-American axis, which excluded France and Germany. Now – as the situation in Iraq changed – the central axis is shifting again reuniting the three European bigger powers. Not Italy, Spain and Britain, but France, Germany and Britain. So, it seems that Italy instrumentally used the war to “gain weight,” but now – going back to the economic criteria – is loosing relevance in the international arena.

(Also, note that the Berlin summit discussed the lack of resources for universities and the scientific research – and that the problem was, once again, a French concern, brought at the discussion table by Chirac.)

La Repubblica, "Un supercommissario per l'Economia Europea"

Posted by Diana Ferrero at February 24, 2004 12:39 PM