'We Will Never Have a Single European Nation'

Q: Do you think the constitution will help stop the EU being a scapegoat for the national governments?
A: In the last years, there's been an increasing move to ask us to decide on all kinds of things, even pensions. When there's a problem like SARS, we have no competence. But people came here and asked us to coordinate a response. More and more we are changing from a scapegoat to an anchor or a troubleshooter. Both are wrong, but if you have this sentiment, it's proof that you're needed.

Q: Still, you've got France and Germany deciding last week, once again, to get together and stymie reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
A: I'm strongly against this. We made a very brave proposal on reform of the agricultural policy, opening the door to competition especially from poor countries, without abandoning our farmers. Nobody went with us at first, but step by step we've gained the backing of almost all the European countries, and it would be very unfortunate if there was an agreement to block it, because we've almost done it. This way people think that the most important thing is to block things — we have to remove that.

Q: It seems, though, that the political life and passion in Europe still resides on the national level.
A: You're right, Europe is a union of nations and peoples. We will never have a European nation. Language alone will prevent that, even if the institutions change.

Q: You came up with a very simple formula for voting in Europe: if a position is supported by half the countries representing at least half of Europe's population, then it goes through. But this wasn't accepted.
A: I knew it wouldn't be; instead we arrived at half the countries representing 60% of the population. I don't like it, but as we say in Italy, it's better to eat a bone than a stone.

Q: How do you move ahead in Europe if nobody knows how you get your money and you spend 45% of it on agricultural support?
A: We want our own financial sources, a European tax. Now we have customs revenues and a few other sources. But we don't want to get our money from member states; then they can always say "I want my money back." If you intimidate, you get the money back. As for the cap, it was once 80% of our budget, now it's 45%; step by step we're bringing it down.

Q: How are the next six months going to work, with Silvio Berlusconi as president of the Council and you in the Commission?
A: Very simple: I know my duty. I know my obligations. I know my institutional roles, and I follow them. You don't need passion to cooperate, simply to know your democratic duty.

Q: Are you convinced that Mr Berlusconi knows his?
A: I don't know. But I'm confident we'll have good cooperation.

Q: Will you take on a role in the Italian elections next year?
A: I honestly don't know, because in politics more than one year is a long time. Ever since I came here people have been saying Prodi will go back to Italian politics in one month, it was always next month. And I'm still here. The last two years I enjoyed it, because of the euro, enlargement, the reforms. I like this job, but first of all, most of these decisions won't be taken by me, and second, nobody knows what will happen when the first of May next year arrives, the new countries come in and we sign the new treaty.