Summit to launch EU group of ‘wise men’

A controversial committee to reflect on the EU’s future will be officially launched at the European Council next week. However, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s original proposal has been substantially watered down.

Under the heading of a “reflection group”, this committee is to deal with long-term issues for the EU and analyse ways that these can best be tackled by the end of 2009.

Strengthening the European social model, sustainable development, global security, migration, energy and climate change as well as the fight against terrorism are among the issues the group is expected to deal with.

However, the group will avoid the issue of Europe’s final borders, including the delicate question of Turkey’s accession, according to Conservative MEP James Elles. Until now, the group, proposed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, was expected to serve as a vehicle to avert an eventual Turkish EU membership and put a break on enlargement.

The group is equally not to deal institutional questions, nor review current policies or the EU’s next financial framework. The French proposal thus seems to have been substantially watered down due to opposition from some member states and institutions that fear their influence could be trimmed.

The reflection group, composed of up to 12 experts, is to report to the European Council in 2010, which by then will be under the helm of the new EU President.

EU heads of state are expected to endorse the setting up of the reflection group, along with conclusions on enlargement and foreign policy issues, with Kosovo figuring high on the agenda at the European Council on 14 December.

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