A Franco-German Europe, but devoted to integration and solidarity. A process of reforms to strengthen the European Parliament, create a European Monetary Fund and allocate a part of the Community budget to cure the imbalances in the euro area. A series of initiatives to reaffirm the European spirit in open contrast to Donald Trump's policies: from the fight against tax evasion by the internet giants to anti-protectionism rules, passing through a strenuous defense of the Paris climate agreements. These are the key points of theagreement reached last week in Germany between CDU/CSU and SPD on European politics.
After months of negotiations, Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats and Christian Socialists have signed a general agreement with Martin Schulz's Social Democrats. This is only a first step and in the coming weeks negotiations will also continue within the individual parties. If successful, a new government of the "Grosse Koalition" could see the light of day by Easter as soon as possible.
The part of the agreement dedicated to Europe, in addition to being one of the most delicate, is the one that most closely affects Italy's interests. Here, in detail, what it contains.
THE AXIS WITH FRANCE
The text refers in several points to the privileged axis between Berlin and Paris: “The renewal of the EU will only be successful if Germany and France work together with all their strengths – it reads – This is why we want to further strengthen and renew Franco- German. A new Elysium treaty is a first and important step in this direction”.
The agreement, however, also speaks of "strengthening European integration" and "the principle of mutual solidarity" to "deepen Europe's cohesion on the basis of its democratic and constitutional values".
THE REFORM OF THE UNION
One of the first results of the collaboration between Germany and France should be the reform of the European Union. By relaunching a project which the number one of the Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, has already spoken about in other words, the German politicians plan to "strengthen the European Parliament" and to transform "the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) into a European Monetary Fund subject under parliamentary control, which should be enshrined in EU law”.
All within the framework of a policy that provides for "specific budgetary resources for economic stabilization and social convergence and for supporting structural reforms in the euro area, which could be the starting point for a future investment budget in the euro area”.
CDU, CSU and SPD also say they are "ready to guarantee greater contributions from Germany to the EU budget". However, to "reform the euro area in a sustainable way so that the euro can better withstand global crises", the Germans believe it is also necessary to "promote fiscal control and economic coordination in the European Union and the euro area". Translation: more power in Brussels and less national sovereignty.
FIGHTING EVASION AND FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX
The agreement then envisages combating "tax dumping, evasion, avoidance and money laundering both internationally and within the EU", as well as supporting "a fair taxation of large companies, in particular Internet companies Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. In the future, companies should no longer be able to shirk their social responsibility by pitting EU states against each other. Fiscal dumping must be prevented."
To achieve the objective, the focus is on “a common and consolidated tax base and minimum corporate tax rates. The principle must therefore apply that the country of profit is also the country of taxation. Together with France we want to take an initiative for this, also to give a European response to the international changes and challenges in this area, not least in the United States".
Furthermore, the three parties speak of "finalizing the introduction of a major tax on financial transactions".
THE ANTI-TRUMP MEASURES
Naturally, the name of the American president never appears, but in at least two points the agreement reaffirms Europe's distance from Trump's recipes. Firstly, where a "clear rejection of protectionism, isolationism and nationalism" is reaffirmed. Then in the passage dedicated to environmental policies: "The EU must play a leading international role in climate protection and support an ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change".
YOUNG PEOPLE, INVESTMENTS AND WORK
As for the social aspects and reforms aimed at internal growth in EU countries, the three German parties underline the need to "combat youth unemployment with more EU funding and expand exchange programs such as Erasmus +".
The agreement refers to a real "social pact" to "strengthen fundamental social rights, in particular the principle of equal pay for the same work in the same place in the EU". A result to be pursued also through "a fair framework for employees and coordination of labor policies".
Cdu, Csu and Spd also believe that it is necessary to create "a framework for minimum wage rules as well as for the basic social security systems in EU states" and "strengthen investment capacity in Europe by continuing and expanding initiatives such as the European Investment Program EFSI”.
IMMIGRATION
Finally, the paragraph on the management of migratory flows "We want to promote fair mobility, but prevent abusive immigration into social security systems - write the German politicians - In the field of refugee and migration policy, the EU must comply with the humanitarian responsibilities, while improving governance and migration management: we want to address the causes of migration in a comprehensive way, protect the EU's external borders more effectively and create shared responsibilities in the EU. With a coherent strategy for Africa, we want to expand cooperation with that continent at all levels."
To read the full text of the agreement in the Italian version, download the attachment in Pdf:
CduCsu-Spd agreement for the relaunch of Europe
