According to Goerens, it is essential for the EU to prepare for this pivotal date by engaging in dialogues with both Democrats and Republicans in Washington to assess whether US policies take into account their impact on Europe.
“I have been preaching for decades that we should do this. We must proactively communicate our intentions and wishes to our competitors and allies. Failing to do so renders us passive observers of foreign policy developments, which have substantial implications for us,” Goerens asserts.
However, prior to the US presidential elections in November, a new European Parliament will be elected - another important date. Given the rise of far-right parties, Goerens advocates that centre parties concentrate on common ground and reduce disputes.
“Generally, I would say that, at the governmental level, disaster is not imminent, as the European Union has allocated €800 billion to a recovery plan and the Italians are getting an awful lot of that. They have a far-right government, but they won’t do anything to jeopardise the cohesion of the European Union in any way. They would have to be brain-dead,” Goerens comments.
Goerens also sheds light on his personal priorities, including his role as co-rapporteur for the new law on party financing. The objective was to finalise discussions by the beginning of the year to enact the law before the European elections, though progress remains slow due to member state resistance.
“We are only making slow progress because there is a lot of reluctance on the part of the member states. As a parliament, we want to include parties from countries aspiring to join the European Union in the budgets of European parties,” Goerens explains.
In addition, Goerens highlights his involvement with the Foreign Policy Financing Bill, scheduled for an audit, and his longstanding commitment to agricultural policy.
“Agricultural policy has developed in a direction that gives me a lot of grief at the moment, because we don’t have enough coherence at the European level. On one hand, measures are taken that increasingly restrict production, the Commission, in an act of indescribable arrogance, refuses to carry out a study on the safety of food production in the European Union, and on the other hand, the doors are opened to import products from abroad,” Goerens remarks.
Agriculture is likely a topic that will continue to occupy Goerens even when he is no longer politically active one day. If he has his way, however, an end to politics is not in sight in the next few years.
“I can imagine Europe quite well without me, but I have trouble imagining myself without Europe. If you were to follow up with a question on what I plan to do in the future, I would tell you that I am fully committed to what I do, and I don’t see any signs that this has died down in the meantime - on the contrary,” Goerens concludes.
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