FOREIGN POLICY: A NECESSITY, NOT AN OPTIONAL EXTRA

(By David Hannay) - Part IV

The parliamentary dimension cannot be neglected. But it needs to take account of the inter-governmental nature of foreign and security policy. Why not establish a European Union foreign affairs committee composed of members drawn from the European Parliament and from national parliaments? The new committee should hold hearings with key officials and, in particular, review the work of Solana and of Chris Patten, the commissioner for external relations.

Many of these improvements do not need to await the outcome of the Convention, which is currently meeting in Brussels, nor of the inter-governmental conference which is to follow in 2004. They could and should be put in place today.

dimension - aspekt, dimenze to take account of… - zohlednit to establish -stanovit, ustanovit composed - složený hearing - slyšení key - klíčový (též klíč) in particular - zvláště to await - očekávat outcome - výsledek

All this may sound difficult, and it is. But the alternative, of pursuing economic and political integration while leaving foreign policy and security issues in a kind of limbo, is surely not a sensible way to proceed. It is a recipe for the marginalisation of the Europeans, and it will eventually also undermine the progress being made in those areas where Europe has so far been a resounding success.

to sound - znít to pursue - následovat, sledovat limbo - zanedbání, zapomenutí sensible - rozumný recipe - návod, recept eventually - nakonec undermine - podkopat, podemlít resounding - vynikající

Připravuje Markéta Frýbová