Piotr Maciej Kaczyński, a research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies, said it was "not for France and Germany to set up the agenda of the European Commission, and certainly not their job to set up the agenda of the European Council".
He was commenting on a leaked paper - "Ways out of the crisis: strengthen growth now" - prepared by Paris and Berlin as "Proposals for the European Councils in January and March 2012".
The five-page document says Germany and France take the view that the European Council should send strong signals for more growth and employment. In doing so, Paris and Berlin stress the countries' responsibilities and propose concentrating efforts on six priorities:
- Tackling unemployment, in particular for youth;
- Developing tools for the financing of companies;
- A better use of EU funds;
- Reinforcing financial market regulation;
- Modernising public administrations;
- Improving access to third markets.
The paper was circulated by the German and French governments as a whirl of bilateral meetings take place to prepare the 30 January summit.
Council President Herman Van Rompuy yesterday (23 January) visited Warsaw and Berlin, where he met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo was also in Berlin and met the chancellor.
"Those who set the agenda of the EU Council are people around Herman Van Rompuy. If France and Germany want to have an input on that, they should transmit their ideas to Herman Van Rompuy, Kaczyński said.
He added that the legislative issues which are touched upon in the document should be proposed by the Commission, while elements such as tax coordination or the proposed financial transactions tax (FTT) should be addressed by Van Rompuy.
'Crossing the line'
"This six-point document is a lot of wishful thinking, a lot of micromanagement, and stepping into not your foot. It's rubbish, this is what it is," he added.
"Talking about the European plan for apprenticeship is micromanagement. Why mention EURES [the European job mobility network] in the European Council preparation? Merkel and Sarkozy should instead focus on broad guidelines, while policy specifics are dealt with in a legislative manner in the Parliament and the Council, not the European Council. That's exactly what they shouldn't do, this is crossing the line," he said.
Kaczyński called "tiny" the idea by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Merkel that some of the unused EU structural and cohesion funds should be spent under the authority of the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB), instead of by the national authorities.
'Wishful thinking'
"European Council for growth and jobs? I'm sorry, this Monday nobody is going to talks about growth and jobs, anybody is going to talk about the fiscal compact, which is useless anyway," said Kaczyński, who insisted that the EU had neither the capacity nor competence to regulate growth and jobs.
Asked by EurActiv to comment the idea that unspent structural funds could be managed by the Commission and EIB, Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski said he had nothing against the measure if it would create more growth and jobs, but that one more structure could make absorption more difficult.
Another Commission source said that in the case of Greece, the amounts in question were "not huge", citing the sum of €10 million to €15 million for 2011.
Kaczyński said leaders could send a stronger message if they would put their initiatives in the context of the EU budget - or Multiannual Financial Framework - for 2014-2020, which is under discussion, but in fact preferred to restrain themselves to the current financial situation.
Asked if the extraordinary January "jobs" summit was not called to suit the election calendar of Sarkozy, Kaczyński said it would be "outrageous" if indeed this was the real reason behind it.
Running scared
But he added that the more realistic reason for holding such an extraordinary summit was the negotiations on the intergovernmental 'fiscal compact' and what he called "the fear" of British Prime Minister David Cameron.
"For some reason, everybody is freaking out that the British might leave or do something bizarre. That's why there were even invited to negotiate the fiscal compact. It's childish," he quipped.
Asked about the British frustrations over the proposed FTT and the latest Commission statements the UK would have to pay even while staying out, Kaczyński said that linking FTT with the fiscal compact was "at least a misunderstanding".
COMMENTS
Some of the proposals in the leaked paper would constitute very positive features of French reforms. One may wonder whether they are apparently not part of Mr. Sarkozy's programme for the upcoming presidential election.
If policy voluntarism by Merkel and Sarkozy bypasses the proper procedures to channel legislation, why is this obvious transgression not immediately corrected by internal controls? Are we having another case of failure to abide by the rules (the first being not toeing the Stability and Growth Act).
I find it highly amusing that anyone would complain about this. First there was the call Germany and France should take more responsibility, show more leadership. Now they do and everyone is annoyed. LOL
Seriously: The EU needs leadership because the institutions are weak, self serving, detached from reality and led by people without backbones. Where was Mr. Barroso in the last 12 months... traveling asia?
The micromanagement might not be an ideal way to tackle the ebony-tower attitude of EU officials, but it will help a little.
And then there's the money issue: Who is going to pay for all the stuff that will happen from now on. The Germans and the French mainly. So hell yes, they have a right to be a bit picky regarding how things run.
Mr Kaczyński who is most likely Polish should not forget that we did not do too well with letting things happen. I would like to see how the UK or Poland would behave if they would have to pay the bill of this whole mess....
Nah, let the Germans and the French micromanage... the EU could fare far worse... with Barroso's micromanagement....
"For some reason, everybody is freaking out that the British might leave or do something bizarre. That's why there were even invited to negotiate the fiscal compact.[...]"
Well if the British want to leave then let them leave. That's what about 60% of the UK population want to do anyway (at least if we are to trust the polls) and that's part of the reason for David Cameron's positions, independently of his own personal convictions regarding the EU.
Of course it is sad not to have everyone on board, and there is a fear that closer cooperations might lead to a EU split in the long term. As far as I'm concerned I'm not so sure. This idea of a "two- or several-speed Europe" has been floating around for decades (since the time when VGE was still active in French politics in fact, he was the first one to bring the concept on the table) as a means to unblock closer European integration. I think most people - and especially, according to tradition at least, in the UK - are pragmatists, and if they see that closer integration does work and solve a couple of issues, they will be all willing to join the club. What is needed is openness to new cllaborators, a clear set of rules and means to enforce them.
My apologies in advance to those who will feel like responding that I am commenting on a side issue of the article. I strongly felt that something like this needed to be said - even in a side comment by a lone citizen on a piece of news.
Thank you for the voice of reason, Mr. Kaczynski!
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