Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-12-Speech-2-046"
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"en.20001212.4.2-046"2
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"Finally, the French Presidency fostered an international ambition for Europe, a long-term ambition, which was to give the Union the means to assert itself in major world affairs, to have its voice heard and to be able to act. This is the draft common foreign and defence policy. The French Presidency also fostered a more immediate ambition, which was to show straightaway the political determination of the Fifteen to assert their own interests when European issues are at stake, and I am thinking here of south-eastern Europe in particular.
With regard to these two aims, we have indeed made progress. First of all, at Nice we concluded the round of negotiations begun at the Cologne and Helsinki European Councils. We set objectives for ourselves and they were achieved. A year ago, we defined the military capabilities that the European Union should have by 2003 in order to be able to prevent and manage the type of crises envisaged by the Treaty. The Member States then committed themselves to providing a contribution in terms of armed forces and military resources. In addition to the troops themselves, the European Union will have the necessary resources for command, planning and intelligence gathering to lead complex joint army operations. The Union intends to use this military wing in complete harmony with NATO facilities and, if necessary, with their support. By making itself stronger, Europe will clearly be strengthening the North Atlantic Alliance.
Furthermore, at Nice, the European Union established the permanent bodies necessary to define and conduct a common foreign and security policy, which are: a political and security committee, a military committee and a European defence staff. The decision was taken to include the creation of the political and social committee in the Treaty, as this is the real mainstay of the system. Through delegation, the committee will be given decision-making powers when crisis management so requires. The revision of the Treaty on this point confirms the importance and the irreversible nature of the decisions taken in Nice.
We were also concerned, even before these bodies were created, that the Union should have a greater say on the major international issues affecting its interests. First of all, with regard to south-eastern Europe, we had to state more clearly what the aims and expectations of the European public were. I think that this message was fully understood at the Zagreb Summit, which, for the first time, brought together the countries of the Western Balkans and the Fifteen. The prospect of membership of the European Union was offered and every country saw that this path was also the path of peace, of human rights and of regional cooperation. Admittedly, the Zagreb Summit did not solve all the problems, but it set a course to follow by means of the process of stabilisation and association; it consolidated the progress of democracy and defined a prospect which is in line with the values underpinning European action.
Furthermore, the Euro-Mediterranean Summit in Marseilles demonstrated, despite, unfortunately, the crisis is the Middle East, the importance attached by all the participants to maintaining and renewing the Barcelona process. We can welcome the fact that the Union was able to announce that it would be dedicating some EUR 13 billion to the process over a period of seven years, including, of course, the loans from the European Investment Bank.
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen of the European Parliament, I think that today I can say that in the last six months, our Union has gained strength from the process of preparing to welcome new members, to reunite the family now that we are all assured of being able to work together, to gain a firmer place in the hearts of our citizens in the fields of values, growth and employment, of solidarity, security and the preservation of the European social model and finally, to grow stronger and gain support on the international stage.
Credit for this progress must be given to all of the institutions. I wish to pay tribute here to the quality of working relations between Member States within the Council. I wish to pay tribute to the Commission and its President, Romano Prodi, and to his determination to bring the initiatives and projects listed in the Presidency’s programme to a successful conclusion.
Here, however, in this Chamber, on my own behalf, on behalf of the French Prime Minister and Government, I wish first and foremost to thank this House for its contribution. It was crucial that the European Parliament, which is the mouthpiece for the European public and its ambitions, played a full role in taking the decisions that will affect the future of all of us. France has been particularly aware of this. You have often seen Mr Moscovici and the other ministers because the Council Presidency spoke 68 times on policy during your part-sessions and to the committees. The French Presidency thanks you, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, for this cooperation, for your support and also for the warm reception you have given us."@en1
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