Such chaos could only be initiated by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen himself and his European Socialists, but this attempt at political extortion persuaded the Commission to drop its proposal for the time being. Nyrup Rasmussen managed to delay a directive that would have given Europeans a sought after possibility to opt for healthcare in any Member State. Under the plans EU citizens would be entitled to healthcare anywhere in the Union if the treatment is allowed in their own country.
European Socialists, keen to keep the supply of healthcare a prerogative of politically controlled monopolies, cannot accept such a reform. Patients’ right to choose and their right to be provided healthcare without delay just does not matter if these systems revered by the Socialists risk facing competition.
By directly influencing the Socialist EU Commissioners Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has tried to politicise the Commission in an entirely new fashion. The Commission is supposed to be independent, to uphold the Treaty and to serve the interests of all Europeans. It is not supposed to give in to pressure from specific interests and definitely not from individual politicians or political parties..
Commission Vice President Margot Wallström, one of those targeted by Rasmussen’s letter, has obviously led the resistance and thus shown less dedication to the Treaty than to her socialist friends.
The political family represented by Nyrup Rasmussen might be influential, but it is not the only and not the biggest or the strongest in Europe. If political pressure and language of force is allowed to determine the European Commission’s agenda, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and his Socialists might find themselves in a less than favourable position.
Gunnar Hökmark MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group, with its 289 members, the biggest group in the European Parliament