President Buzek: 'We will write the history of Europe together'

Jerzy Buzek, the European Parliament's first Eastern Bloc President, has no doubt that he is facing an exceptional two and half years. The former Polish Prime Minister and professor of technical sciences looks set to lead the House through its first years of the new era under the Lisbon treaty. In an exclusive interview we ask him about the growing role of the EP, European science, energy solidarity and what East and West means in today's Europe.

As the first President of a European Parliament enormously empowered by the Lisbon Treaty, how are you preparing for this great reform?

The entire Parliament is getting ready. First of all we will strengthen our relations with national parliaments, who will have eight weeks to have a say on EU legislation under the treaty.

The codecision procedure is the next thing. Virtually all EU legislation will now be adopted jointly by the Parliament and the Council. so conciliation will have enormous importance.

Parliament will get direct influence over the shape of the budget, cohesion policy, trade and agriculture.

The role of EU diplomacy will also grow enormously, so the EP has to elevate its international policy to a completely different level. Our contacts with parliaments in third countries, mainly within the Euro Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, EUROLAT (relations with Latin America) and EURONEST (Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and the democratic forces of Belarus) are of extraordinary importance.

Relations with the US Congress and with the parliaments of world powers such as Brazil, China, India, Japan and Russia also remain essential.

What is your message to voters?

The European voter should know that the EP is responsible for about two thirds of all legislation in force in all EU countries.

We really want to communicate with EU citizens. We are going to open so-called “European Houses” in every country. They will transmit information and act as a link between the citizens, the EP and the Commission. The office will also serve MEPs from that country and liaise with national parliaments.

How will your experience as a head of government help you in your work as EP President? 

The work of EP President has a lot in common with that of prime minister when it comes to meetings, political considerations and decision-making. My decisions concern the EP only, so there is less to decide than when I was PM. However, when it comes to my duties and contacts, I have much more work. 

The President of the EP has enormous opportunity for political influence. Although the meetings do not bring any binding decisions, I can convince politicians about the positions fostered in the EP. All my contacts from the time I was PM are certainly very helpful. My meeting with President Klaus (of the Czech Republic), who is a very difficult partner, was the most recent example.

You are the first EP President from behind the Iron Curtain, does this label have any meaning 20 years on?

Europe was emerging from World War II for decades and for almost 50 years was divided by the Iron Curtain. Although the countries west of the Curtain had different wartime pasts, post-war they were on the same side, building a common future. The breakthrough was their accord in 1950-51 and signing the Rome Treaty in 1957.

The real qualitative change came with the breaking of the Iron Curtain, since for almost 45 years both halves of Europe had been developing in completely different ways....The fact we opened the curtain was symbolic.

I am, in a way, a representative of the countries who were left on the other side. This is what I somehow feel, it's why people voted for me and this is what I hear from them. But I represent the entire EU and this is a symbol that we are equal and equally responsible for the EU. Our development is different, but this no longer dominates, it is the community that dominates. I am aware of this enormous responsibility, because one simply must not fail. We will write the history of Europe together.

In your inaugural address to Parliament, you proposed a European energy community.  How can the EP help make it a reality?

The EU responds to the expectations of its citizens. That is why we have a Common Agricultural Policy, common regional cohesion policy and the Schengen area that facilitates free movement and an internal market to serve our welfare. 

The energy problem was not so prominent some 10 or 12 years ago but today it is the biggest, burning problem of the EU together with climate change. So it is high time to create common energy policy as we have created other common policies. We have the wording “energy solidarity” in the treaty and this treaty base is of foremost importance.

For our security we ought to diversify gas sources and jointly negotiate supply from outside Europe. In order to tackle climate threats we have to develop green energy on a vast scale. Climate protection also forces us to jointly research and develop technology for the clean usage of fossil fuels.

As an MEP and a scientist, you have been heavily involved in EU funding for science. Why is public investment in science important and can it continue in the current difficult economic environment? 

By entering the path of green energy and zero-emission fossil fuel we will strongly develop new branches of science. We will go for innovations and boost the competitiveness of the EU. We are talking about a strategic branch of the EU economy.

The funds will not run out as long as European science and European Universities can turn the results of their research into sound technologies for the economy. It is self propelling wheel because innovations are always profitable.