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Between a Rock and hard woman in Brussels

• Mark Mardell
• 20 Feb 08, 09:40 PM

Gordon Brown is in Brussels today.

As Chancellor, Mr Brown was known for his distinct lack of enthusiasm for coming to meetings here, and a marked tendency to lecture people on how to run their economies when he did.

As Prime Minister, he鈥檚 done little to dispel either perception. But this time he might find himself between a Northern Rock and a hard place: on the receiving end, if not of lectures, of stern looks and careful listening from a woman know as

Mr Brown has been to Brussels as Prime Minister. It was directly after the signing of the Lisbon treaty, .

He hasn鈥檛 made a trip since then. Quite a contrast to Merkel and Sarkozy, who arrived within a day of becoming leaders of their respective countries.

Those with Britain鈥檚 interests at heart point out this is not a matter of respect, or kowtowing to those at the heart of the European Empire, but of Britain punching its weight.

Brown鈥檚 views on the economy are pretty much in line with those of , and the majority of the commissioners.

European protectionism

But there are those, notably President Sarkozy of France, who want a little less free trade and a little more European Patriotism or, as we used to call it, economic protectionism: perhaps taxation and trade barriers to protect European goods, and not even the sort of cross-border competition within the EU that threatens big French firms on their home ground.

One commission official who feels the visit is welcome but very overdue told me that there was a need for Gordon Brown to 鈥減ull on the rope from the other end鈥� and provide vital life support for the commissioners who feel under pressure.

They see Brown speaking up for this economic agenda as 鈥渞eal and important鈥� and they want more of it and hope this is a new beginning.

But those close to President Barroso disagree that Brown has been disengaged in policy terms. He held a meeting with Merkel, Prodi, Sarkozy and Barroso in Downing Street last month and they felt it was pretty useful.

They鈥檙e not rude enough to put it like this but the impression I get is that they feel Brown is a little politically clumsy about the niceties; absent when he should be present, most notably at the signing of the Lisbon treaty; relying on officials who seem to have two modes, neither of them very attractive.

They are seen to either hector and lecture, like Mr Brown in his days at the finance ministers鈥� meetings, or come over all tight-lipped and taciturn, perhaps also faithfully reflecting their master鈥檚 voice.

Fly on the wall

It sounds as if the meetings will be packed.

First, his old chum, . The two men loathe each other so I would love to be a fly on the wall, watching body language rather than listening to their accord that the Doha trade round has to be brought to a successful head.

Then Barroso. There will be some discussion of the role the European Union can play in failing states and world crisis. Brown thinks that the EU can fill a gap providing civilian advice and police backup.

This fits neatly with the view among some top brass in Brussels that while the UN can keep the peace, and Nato can kick ass, the EU can do both and the bits in-between.

Serious money

There will be quite a lot on international development, one of Brown鈥檚 real passions, and where the EU spends serious money.

But top priorities are the environment and the economy. Fine details of the commission鈥檚 plans to give the lead in cutting greenhouse gasses are being nailed, rather painfully, in place and the Prime Minister may have suggestions about a European carbon bank.

But it鈥檚 real banks that give the most concern.

Politicians all over Europe are not surprisingly itchy about the financial turmoil that could spell disaster for their economies and the end of their careers.

All politicians have a tendency to want to do something, come up with a new initiative, at least to show they are not twiddling their thumbs.

The commission and Mr Brown together are bound to come up with some sort of blueprint, or at least a blueprint for a blueprint.

I expect the Prime Minister will back a plan for two new commission studies to examine whether the EU needs to act.

The commission is particular worried about huge movement of capital from the Middle East. It looks as if they are quite a long way off any concrete plans, but this could be the centrepiece of the Spring get-together of Prime Ministers and Presidents in mid-March.

Nickel Neelie

But the most difficult meeting may be over lunch. It鈥檚 with nine commissioners.

Among them, .

She has a reputation for toughness. . She used to be a minister for the most pro free market party in the Netherlands and is apparently known, not as the Iron Lady, but Nickel Neelie.

I write 鈥渁pparently鈥� because I鈥檝e never heard anyone call her that, but it is in all the newspaper cuttings.

Whatever her metallic make-up she has given a provisional thumbs-up to the rescue plan, but Mr Brown has to show her the detailed plan by 17 March, to make sure it doesn鈥檛 fall foul of EU rules which are aimed at stopping state aid giving companies an unfair advantage.

As apparently it鈥檒l cost each of us British taxpayers an average of 拢3,500 there ought to be some advantage in it.

But Mr Brown, so keen on lecturing fellow ministers, might not feel so happy having to explain himself, like an errant student, to a tough Thatcherite bureaucrat, who could decide that his wheeze is illegal.

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Kosovo lights up the EU

• Mark Mardell
• 20 Feb 08, 08:00 AM

Here in Pristina, you can do the Solana spark-up. All the rage is a lighter with a button to the side: press it and a is beamed on to the nearest available surface.
But can EU foreign policy set the world alight, or rather prevent it bursting into flames?

More specifically is the European Union's position on Kosovo an unholy muddle, testimony to the near impossibility of getting 27 countries to agree anything of substance, or a triumph for those who want EU foreign policy to be big and bold?

Diplomats who want the maximum support possible for an independent Kosovo are very pleased that they got as much agreement as they did at this week's foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. Because of worries that this sets a precedent for their own would-be breakaway minorities, five countries, led by Spain and Cyprus, were very nervous.

Hard nut

The pro-independent diplomats had to ensure that certain practical measures were agreed before independence, to massage the feelings of those countries. It was a tough, long haul, with the usual preparatory meetings failing to reach agreement on the exact words to use. , and at one point it looked as if, as one source put it, they wouldn't sign up to anything that even mentioned the word "Kosovo".

So I can understand their frustration after this hard slog that some are left distinctly unimpressed.

But the words on the paper are a pretty bland confection of fudge. This is the detail of what the 27 foreign ministers agreed: They note the fact that Kosovo has declared independence. They note it's up to individual countries to recognise Kosovo, or not.

They welcome the continued presence of the international community, based on an old UN resolution. They agree to play a leading role in the region, referring specifically to to "mentor" Kosovo's police and judges, and the appointment of an EU special representative.

The Commission is asked to help with political and economic development.

It may have been hard to get even this agreement, but step back a bit. Only months ago the talk was of a "big bang", the US and the EU countries declaring as one that they recognised Kosovo, which would give momentum to the process.

This has not happened. The five opponents of independence within the EU may not quite agree with Serbia and , but presumably their stance means they don't think Kosovo should be independent.

You could argue that this is a pretty pathetic failure to get agreement on a very basic question, and one that sends a signal of muddle and lack of resolution by the EU.

Ultimate power

And yet, and yet... the European Union is here, or at least will be, in force. The 2,000-strong police and justice mission will arrive to keep and eye on police, judges and government: its real mission to stamp down on corruption and make sure the Serbs are protected.

will be the ultimate authority here. Although he would be loathe to be seen as some sort of colonial governor, and would stress that his role is to advise the government, he does have the power to over-rule the elected politicians if they try to depart from the path set out in an agreed plan.

The European Commission will be pumping money in to this place like there is no tomorrow, and paving the way for Kosovo to one day join the European Union. Presumably other members of the EU will have to recognise it by then.

Any of the countries with doubts could have used their veto to stop any of this, if they really do find it offensive, although I suspect they were subjected to quite a lot of Qualified Majority Bullying (or perhaps Bribing) by Britain, France and Germany, not to mention the Commission and the United States.

So this is rather odd. No strong symbolic statement, just practical, big picture action. What is the world coming to if the EU's real impact is stronger than its rhetoric?

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