Van Rompuy tries to soothe the Eurozone

Herman Van Rompuy, the head of the European Council, is headed to eastern and central Europe in an effort to counter the impression that Paris and Berlin have already sewed up a Eurozone reform package–the so-called "Competitiveness Pact"–with very little input from smaller members. As EUObserver reports: Mr Van Rompuy hopes to undo the political ...

By , a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.

Herman Van Rompuy, the head of the European Council, is headed to eastern and central Europe in an effort to counter the impression that Paris and Berlin have already sewed up a Eurozone reform package--the so-called "Competitiveness Pact"--with very little input from smaller members. As EUObserver reports:

Herman Van Rompuy, the head of the European Council, is headed to eastern and central Europe in an effort to counter the impression that Paris and Berlin have already sewed up a Eurozone reform package–the so-called "Competitiveness Pact"–with very little input from smaller members. As EUObserver reports:

Mr Van Rompuy hopes to undo the political damage done by Berlin and Paris’ presentation of their pact as a fait accompli and to shepherd through a comprehensive solution for all EU countries.

In what he described as a "rethink" that restarts the discussion "from zero", the consultations will also be done in "association" with the commission. "I want to have an open and inclusive discussion with member states on how to achieve a higher degree of economic policy co-ordination," he said in a statement. "I will listen to all and I will also test my own ideas."

The success of the mission will likely hinge on Van Rompuy’s credentials as an honest-broker. And judging by the anger he faced recently in the European Parliament–where one member compared the European Council to the Politburu–those credentials may not be all that strong.

David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist

Tag: Europe

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