Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-16-Speech-3-215"
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"en.20000216.10.3-215"2
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".
The Portuguese Presidency is particularly interested in this issue, as I suppose that this is the first time a presidency has made resolving the problem of a Statute for Members of the European Parliament a priority in its programme.
The Portuguese Presidency made reaching an agreement on this statute one of its priorities, as furthermore, did the President of the European Parliament, when she stated this at the Helsinki European Council. We are therefore in perfect and total agreement in our concern to achieve a positive outcome on this matter.
We are therefore taking advantage of this political will in an attempt to define the outlines of a compromise, and we have already begun work on this matter. It is worth pointing out once more that this compromise will require the unanimous support of the Council, in accordance with Article 190, and the assent of this Parliament, to which it falls to approve this statute.
The Presidency has engaged in intensive discussions with a range of Members of this Parliament and with the group to which Parliament entrusted the task of negotiating with the Council. I myself had an opportunity to meet this group, for the first time, in parallel with the January part-session, and I am trying to arrange to do so again soon in order to continue these discussions. These discussions have also recommenced more intensively in the relevant bodies of the Council, and I think that I can say, in a spirit of openness and greater flexibility, and because we all recognise the importance that this has, particularly for the general public, that drawing up this statute is a vital factor in ensuring both the dignity of the functions of Members of the European Parliament and the necessary transparency and good management of public funds.
With regard more specifically to your question, I would like to highlight the fact that it only makes sense to have a new statute if it represents progress in comparison with the current situation and if it ensures that holders of identical posts are as far as possible treated in the same way. This has, from the outset, been the position of the Portuguese Presidency.
Nevertheless, our role as mediator means that we must take account of all current attitudes in the Council and I am sure you are aware, Mr Sjöstedt, that the tax issue poses problems for certain delegations. As this is the case, whatever solution is found, I think that it will have to respect both democratic law and be acceptable to all Member States, regardless of their national positions on the matter. What I can promise with regard to this issue is that the presidency has the utmost commitment to working, for as long as it is involved with this matter, in an atmosphere of total transparency and openness towards Members of the European Parliament. We will also make the utmost effort with members of the Council, particularly with those who had most difficulty in accepting the proposal suggested last year, so as to reach a reasonable compromise solution, and one which would at the same time guarantee the dignity appropriate for a statute for the members of this House."@en1
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