Seamlessly switching between five languages, he had some rather important things to say.
On regulation, he said that the EU needs a fundamental 'culture change' in the way in which it regulates to adopt a more "common sense" approach. Impact Assessments will have to be overhauled, and existing legislation needs to be assessed for its effectiveness. Regulations that doesn't make sense should be scrapped, so that business can feel an "immediate relief".
#Timmermans: Commission's impact assessment board has to be composed of ppl who can act w/out vested interests #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
#Timmermans: What I am proposing is to change culture of the way in which we regulate in a more common sense manner (cites oil-jug gate)
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
#Timmermans: I will present a better regulation review proposing regulations that shld be withdrawn within a year #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
Consistent with his - and the Dutch government's - motto "National where possible, European where necessary," Timmermans had some strong things to say on respecting national parliaments:
#Timmermans: "This European Union will not be built against the will of the national parliaments nor the member states." MEPs need to engage
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
#Timmermans:
My principle of subsidiarity is you'll only take action on higher level
if that's only way to achieve goals you want to attain.
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
#Timmermans: If confirmed I will take debates directly to national parliaments #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
On the need for more transparency and scrutiny, Timmermans said there will be increased scrutiny on behind the scenes deal-making and lobbying.
#Timmermans, we will make sure that there is a Mandatory transparency lobby list - currently only voluntary. #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
On the institutional divide between euro-ins and euro outs:
#Timmermans reiterates that he does not support separate institutions for the #eurozone #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
There was some stuff that may not go down as well in No 10, such as Timmerman's insistence on the importance of the European Convention of Human Rights (see here), and his description of the European Arrest Warrant as a "great success."
#Timmermans defends European Arrest Warrant, "a great success". We desperately need EAW. #EPhearings2014
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
#Timmermans agrees that UK objections to application of #ECHR justified, but that opting out EU court rulings sets dangerous precedent.
— Open Europe (@OpenEurope) October 7, 2014
All in all, this was a strong performance that has already received good reviews on twitter and beyond. The response of the EP will be interesting to gauge and may give an indication as to how hard he will find it to push through some of these reform efforts in the coming years.
The first exchange between MEP Roger Helmer and Frans Timmermans (on the European Convention) was interesting, as you could see how Helmer regretted ever having put that question, when he was put to shame himself (with UKIP and the Tories in the process).
ReplyDelete