We Think EuropeEuropean Youth Seminars @ Europahaus Marienberg
We Think EuropeAuthor
Institutions of the EU
by Jenda Plhák, 2010
What you can imagine under this name? Who´s this person? I am going to tell you something about this important person in European Union.
At the beginning some dry facts about him and his past.
Between years 1999 - 2004, as is written upper, he was responsible for Enlargement of the European Union. This years are of course connected with the largest single expansion of the EU (2004-10 states). This had to be very demanding, just imagine it: you are a commissioner and you have to negotiate with every single country from that 10 his own entrance to our big maschinery, which is called EU. I call it a maschinery because every ingoing state must respect laws and rules which are set for entering to the EU and I do not think that these rules can be written to a just few sides. So I think, that we can say with a clear conscience - he did really a good job.
During his actioning in the European Commission he also decided to fight against the red tape (he said it at least...). "The idea is that the role of the commission is to keep the machinery running and the machinery is producing laws. And that's exactly what I want to change." (October 2006)
He tried to make the bureaucracy more favourable to small and medium enterprises. Meritorious! and again - big deal. Make something like that, it needs a lot of brave and power. Unfortunately is nowhere written if it has been done.... Probably not, but it is not surprising.
But enough praise has been already written. Now come to see a, let´s say, "dark side" of Günter.
A sex scandal at the top of the European Commission says big title in The Times
In 2006 appeared some photos which show our commissioner naked on a holidays with, as same as him, beautiful lady - Petra Erler although he was married with Gabriele. This was published in the magazine Brute. This caused that his wife separated from him and contacted lawyers.
On the end please let me write something about my view on european enlargement about which made me think quotation of Günter Verheugen which is stated upper. I think that idea of connected Europe is really important and growth is absolutely unavoidable. Unfortunately upgrowth caries implications in form harder make decision ability and inflexibility. First proposition is given by differences between our countries, mentality, habits. Second problem, in my opinion, is due by high count of officials and largeness of european maschinery. Of course a many people need a many officials but the politicians should not forget to always ask themselves: "Is additional official absolutely necessary? We can not do otherwise?". If politicians do not remember this, can appear statue when every citizen will have his own official or maybe two and finally there will be just officials no one who can do normal work. The European Union is here for faster economical growth, easier life for people etc. not for making complicated legislative which make companies competition disable because their workers have to stay in lines by offices, complete countless forms and similarly.
"Many people still have this concept of Europe that the more rules you produce the more Europe you have." (October 2006,Günter Verheugen)
Written by Jenda Plhák
Sources: The Times, www.ena.lu, www.wikipedia.org, rejstrik.cz
