Van Rompuy: our global credibility at stake

How would you rate the Hungarian Presidency’s performance so far? How is the cooperation between Hungary currently holding the Council’s Presidency and you as the European Council’s Permanent President?

The Hungarian Presidency has prepared very well in advance. In the last few weeks we witnessed important decisions taken under the leadership of Hungary, such as the conclusions to create a platform against poverty and social exclusion or the definition of new EU energy priorities for the decade 2011-2020.

I meet frequently with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Foreign Minister Martonyi to coordinate our work at the EU. As an example we have been working closely to reach yesterday's decisions on our Southern Neighbourhood, including Libya,  and the pact for the Euro.

There are landslide changes going on, just south of Europe. How could they affect Europe and the EU itself?

We witness a moment of truth for our southern neighbourhood. And although the whole world is watching, Europe will be the first to feel the consequences, whatever those may be. We cannot be mere spectators, our global credibility is also at stake.

Yesterday, the Heads of the 27 member states agreed on a new partnership with the Southern Mediterranean countries. Overall, an incentive-based approach will be developed, with greater differentiation among countries. Help with the training and exchange of students, support to the civil society, governance, further trade opening and mobility partnerships will form part of an EU's overall response.

In this context, I was pleased to receive an open letter from your Prime Minister Viktor Orbán concerning the events taking place in our Southern Neighbourhood and Libya. I was encouraged by Hungary's decision to keep its Embassy in Tripoli staffed.

Some of the member states are concerned that the events in the Mediterranean region will distract attention from the Eastern Partnership, the eastern neighbourhood policy. Do you believe that this is a real danger?

It is true that recent developments attract our attention to the Southern Neighbourhood. But we certainly do not forget the Union's Eastern Partnership. I am convinced that it will gain new momentum at this year's summit with our Eastern Partners, when we will then have the opportunity to further develop sound strategies.

I am particularly pleased with the importance the Hungarian Presidency attaches to the Eastern Partnership. Its determination to continue preparations in co-ordination with the Polish Presidency, the European Commission and myself, ensures a successful and substantial summit meeting. It is a symbolic message that Hungary and Poland will co-host the summit.

Our shared goal is a stable, prosperous and democratic neighbourhood, both south and east.

It is a priority objective for the Hungarian Presidency to contribute to the reform of European economic governance by the end of June. What’s the current state of affairs? In-light of the German-French competitiveness initiative and the euro zone’s separate summit, do you perceive a risk to the EU becoming a two-tier organisation, with a permanent “hard core” and a wider scope, only loosely connected to integration?

The objective of the "Pact for the Euro" is to enhance economic policy coordination in the euro area. By deepening the economic pillar of the monetary union and by fostering convergence among the economies of the Euro area, higher competitiveness can be reached. But this pact is not only for Euro area members. It is open to all Member States outside the euro area who want to join.The ten other countries are politically and economically very close and they have been consulted in the preparations of this pact. The opportunities and risks of financial interdependence affect them as well.

That's why the pact for the euro will be formally adopted at the next European Council on 24 March.

As part of a comprehensive economic package, other important decisions will be taken next 24-25 March including elements as the conclusion of the first phase of the European semester; the adoption of the decision amending the Treaty of Lisbon with regard to the future European Stability Mechanism; the finalisation of the legislative proposals on economic governance; the finalisation of work on the future European Stability Mechanism and on the strengthening of the European Financial Stability Facility.

All these decisions will be adopted by all the member states of the EU, so I don't think the idea of a two-tier organisation is a correct one.

The Presidency is doing its best to help Croatia join the EU as soon as possible, and to give a realistic European perspective to other West-Balkan states as well. What other enlargement scenarios would you consider desirable, or feasible?

Croatia is in the final phase but there are still questions which remain to be resolved.

The European Union has always strived for deeper integration while at the same time welcoming new members. A club which accepts new members is a club which is alive! As regards the Western Balkans, we have agreed to extend the EU perspective to the whole region. I believe that a careful and gradual enlargement is in the interest of both the current member states and the new members.

The EU is particularly encouraging the integration of Western Balkan countries as  it also contributes immensely to the stability and prosperity of the region as a whole.

The integration of 10 to 12 million Roma people in Europe is a pan-European task, as is reflected by the experiences of countries that do not even have a large Roma community. This is also why the issue is a priority for the Presidency. What could the EU do for Roma inclusion?

No doubt the integration of the Roma people is of high priority to the European Union. This pressing issue requires an integrated and pan-European approach and that is why we will discuss this issue at the June European Council.

It is in everyone's interest that we succeed in providing the Roma people a perspective with basic facilities such as education, health care, housing and employment. The European Commission is now drafting a paper which will identify instruments that should be used in order to eliminate the unjust discrimination of Roma people.

The Treaty of Lisbon came into effect more than a year ago. Since then, Hungary has held the third Presidency after Spain and Belgium. What do you think of the role of rotating presidency in the Lisbon system?

The innovations provided by the Treaty of Lisbon have proven worthwhile in the first year. The Spain-Belgium-Hungary trio are the first Presidencies to function within the new system. The presiding country still plays an important role in the choice and direction of EU's general agenda and its economic and political affairs. As current President of the Council of the European Union, Hungary can seize the moment and continue the valuable work already done by Spain and Belgium. More than ever, a rotating Presidency is about working for the benefit of the Union as a whole.

Some say the role of the rotating presidency now is more limited, but I perceive the changes by the Lisbon Treaty from another, positive point of view. I believe it is a real challenge to do more through collaboration with the other presiding countries. I am pleased to see that Hungary even goes beyond the trio-cooperation, and works in close collaboration with the Polish Presidency that will enter office in July. By jointly focusing on energy policy and the eastern dimension of the EU's neighbourhood policy, more can be done for Hungary and Poland. This brings stability, continuity and predictability to EU's long-term policy. Cooperation is key.

Your position as the European Council’s Permanent President was also created by the Treaty of Lisbon. Do you think this innovation works?

It has been more than a year since I entered office as first permanent President of the European Council in December 2009. Back then, people were still wondering what a full time President will have to do in between the meetings with Heads of State or Government. I think now we all know what grabs our attention and focus. 2010 was dominated by the public debt crisis and the financial stability of the Eurozone. Without sounding too expeditious, I think we are succeeding in solving our problems by achieving a new quality of economic coordination, improving competitiveness and thereby leading to a higher degree of convergence. The continuity which my office offers has helped in bringing all these strands together.

At the same time, the European Council is playing a more important role in external relations. We have agreed that we have to strive for reciprocity and find mutual interests in dealing with global partners.

Thanks to better preparations by the European Council, I can truly speak and listen on behalf of the 27. Beyond our long-term economic agenda and our international relations, the Lisbon framework has enhanced one essential political quality: our capacity to cope with the unexpected.

According to the grapevine in Brussels, you regularly speak to a close colleague in Latin. Is that true?

Se non è vero, è ben trovato.