2006 May 13 | eurealist.co.uk

A Total Lack of Mandate

I raised the question of Solana’s status in a written question to the Council last October.

They are supposed to reply within six weeks to all questions, but we MEPs have no sanctions available if they don’t.

As you can see from the attached file, the answer was answered in April and finally reached me on 1 May. It did not answer the questions in any meanful way, and there is no point in a follow up because such contempt for MEPs, let alone the people of the member states, is not unusual.

Indeed, there is a vitally important and inescapable conclusion to be drawn here - one which is evident all the time in Brussels - the EU’s bureaucratic machine doesn’t care a damn.

They know there is absolutely nothing we, the people, can do about anything they decide.

That is why Solana carries on, that is why the other 13 or so projects and institutions resting on the constitution for their legality will carry on…the list is endless…and that is why we should never have joined and why we MUST leave as soon as possible.

There is one positive aspect of written questions worth mentioning. They are a nuisance. Someone somewhere has to prepare an answer, and he has to think about the implications of the question.

I frequently ask the Commission about relatively minor issues, like the opinion of their economist advisor who recently said he thought the euro will collapse. It may only be a question, but it must irritate them to be reminded and it must help undermine their own certainty.

Indeed, I think the current Commission doesn’t know what they are doing, cannot cope, have no leadership (Barroso is no Delors), and find themselves drifting through their own lack of vision and because they are simply not up to the job. This is all good for us. All they seem capable of doing is minding the shop.

Well, anyone who knows anything about business knows that is eventually fatal. Any enterprise without vision eventually withers and dies.

We have to keep hastening that day.

regards to all

Ashley Mote

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4119/05

by Ashley Mote (NI)

to the Council

Subject: Mandate of Javier Solana

Given the lack of legal authority for the role of an EU foreign minister now that the proposed European constitution is dead in the water, will the Council please clarify the on-going activities of Mr Javier Solana? He appears to be fulfilling the role of EU foreign minister regardless of his lack of a mandate. Will the Council further identify the costs of his department and the number of staff involved, and explain from which budget and on what authority the costs are being met from public funds?

E-4119/05

(10 April 2006)

At its 2595th meeting, which took place on 29 June 2004 in Brussels, the Council adopted a decision appointing Mr Javier Solana Secretary-General of the Council, High Representative for the common foreign and security policy for a further five-year period. In the margins of the Council meeting, the Heads of State or Government adopted a Declaration indicating their decision that Mr Javier Solana would be appointed Union Minister for Foreign Affairs on the day of entry into force of the Constitution.

Mr Solana exercises the functions laid down in Article 18(3) of the Treaty on European Union. In that role, he assists the Council on questions of common foreign and security policy, pursuant to Article 26 of that Treaty.

The expenditure charged to the Council budget complies with the provisions contained in Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 [1] on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

(received 1 May 06, via Brussels office – no Commissioner identified.)

[1] OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.