Editor's Note: France wins the battle, but what about the war?
It is all about the liberalization of the services market and about the fact that companies could provide their services in every EU country on the same conditions as they do in their mother countries.
For the new EU members, such as Poland, it is a chance to conquer new markets. For the old EU members it is a threat that their consumers will choose a new and cheaper offer from companies from the new Union, which will inevitably cut profits from local firms.
According to the European Commission, the Services Directive will stimulate the growth of EU economies. According to the President of France, Jacques Chirac, who sings loudest in the choir defending social rights in the EU, it will upset the safety of citizens. This is why he stated the problem clearly - there is no way that France will agree to open its services market. Polish politicians, whose aim was the opposite, were loudly announcing that they would win the services market liberalization issue. This is what a Brussels summit is all about - although nothing was unambiguously agreed, everyone is satisfied.
Thanks to this, politicians in France, who will vote in the referendum on accepting the European Constitution on May 29, can easily assure their voters that they will not allow bread to be taken from their mouths. The open secret was that the referendum is important not only to France. The result will be keenly watched by the whole of Europe. This is the reason why Prime Minister Marek Belka and prime ministers from other new countries did not take up the bloody fight, but agreed on a bland compromise.
For Poland, hope remains that after May 29, when French citizens - let us hope - will back the Constitution, Jacques Chirac will back the Polish politicians. Also, many hope that he will agree on a gradual opening of the services market. This will show that the organization not only works but also moves forward.
Now all we have to do is agree on the direction.
Eliza Durka
Editor-in-Chief
For the new EU members, such as Poland, it is a chance to conquer new markets. For the old EU members it is a threat that their consumers will choose a new and cheaper offer from companies from the new Union, which will inevitably cut profits from local firms.
According to the European Commission, the Services Directive will stimulate the growth of EU economies. According to the President of France, Jacques Chirac, who sings loudest in the choir defending social rights in the EU, it will upset the safety of citizens. This is why he stated the problem clearly - there is no way that France will agree to open its services market. Polish politicians, whose aim was the opposite, were loudly announcing that they would win the services market liberalization issue. This is what a Brussels summit is all about - although nothing was unambiguously agreed, everyone is satisfied.
Thanks to this, politicians in France, who will vote in the referendum on accepting the European Constitution on May 29, can easily assure their voters that they will not allow bread to be taken from their mouths. The open secret was that the referendum is important not only to France. The result will be keenly watched by the whole of Europe. This is the reason why Prime Minister Marek Belka and prime ministers from other new countries did not take up the bloody fight, but agreed on a bland compromise.
For Poland, hope remains that after May 29, when French citizens - let us hope - will back the Constitution, Jacques Chirac will back the Polish politicians. Also, many hope that he will agree on a gradual opening of the services market. This will show that the organization not only works but also moves forward.
Now all we have to do is agree on the direction.
Eliza Durka
Editor-in-Chief
