This summer, I had a long break from Brussels and for some three months I was working remotely, with all kind of internet technologies. This gave me time to enjoy the Mediterranean and have time to meditate and write. I was thinking mostly of Europe. What we got from our fathers compared to what we will be giving our children makes me feel ashamed. Indeed, what I got from the Europe of my father Alexandros, were the grounds for hope, freedom, belief and progress for a better life and the Europe I will be giving to my son, Alexandros, is a structured corporate gang. The Greek sun, can melt rocks, revive in the minds our philosophical roots, and made me think and write. I thought that our Europe, in the seventies, with progress and democracy blooming, was in harmony with its philosophical and pragmatic essentials, Greek philosophy, Roman law and the French Revolution. Because this is Europe, or, to put it better, this is what Europe should be. Thus I decided to write. I wrote a book about Europe, to make Europeans understand Europe and open the eyes of politicians in the 28 Member States as to how they should be handling the issue of the new Commission and take control of the “system” under the shadow of which, under the present artificial barriers, grows nothing political. I have finished the “hot” part of the book and now I am writing one of its chapters, ten scandals which define the way the “State within the State” operates. This week I was working on the exception until the year 2050 of any carbon dioxide tax over the Maritime industry. This is a scandal with several ambiguities. First, thanks to this exception which nobody has ever explained why it was granted and under whose political responsibility, the EU budget is losing billions of Euros every year. This begs the question of who is benefitting from this exception. The Maritime industry. The only industry on the earth without any tax reference, based completely on offshore operations. Indeed offshore exists because it serves the shipping industry. Each vessel is one company, in most cases a Liberia offshore one, based in 85 Moncerado Street, Monrovia, Liberia, and in selling the vessel, one is passing the shares of the Compania Naviera which owns the ship. Thus no tax base, which means plenty of cash which gives to industry wide margins to spent money in PR exercises and Lobbying. As I would like to have some explanation, which I will provide in my book, I will remind readers of some of my questions, in the hope that someone will have the sensitivity to reply, if not for any other reason than to make clear his involvement in this affair. I will be specific. Directive 2009/29 amending Directive 2003/87 stipulates that if the International Maritime Organization IMO (ICAO did not have the same treatment but we disregard this for the moment) does not adopt internationally binding rules on CO2 emissions reductions by the shipping Industry, the European Commission is obliged to submit a legislative proposal to the Parliament and the Council (co-decision) to introduce an EU Directive on the matter by 31 December, 2011. We now are in September 2013 and nothing has happened yet. What we wish to know first, is who is politically responsible. Connie Hedegaard is in charge of the Climate Change portfolio but she is limited to aviation pollution. Maritime pollution is handled by Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas who somehow took the matter from Hedegaard. Then Kallas practically abolished, Directive 2009/29, which as far as we know it is still Community law. Last but not least, President Jose Barroso. For the first time in EU history, two Commissioners, Hedegaard and Kallas, speak different languages over the same matter and the President of the Commission pretends that he does not know. We know that this is the second and last term of Jose Barroso in the Presidency of the Commission. What we do not know, as yet, is how Barroso will be remembered in history. For the dismissal of Commissioner John Dalli, which cost him the third term in office, or for being the President of the Commission, which exempted the ship-owners from any Carbon Dioxide tax until the year 2050?
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