Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-12-Speech-2-136"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-12-12"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:2001 budget (continuation)2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20001212.7.2-136"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-12-12-Speech-2-1372
lpv:speaker	lp:Rijk van Dam2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Delegation to the EU-Estonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-09-28--2002-01-14)3 member; Delegation for relations with Israel (1999-09-28--2002-01-14)3 member; CONT (2000-07-03--2001-09-02)3 unknown; Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij - Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond - Reformatorisch Politieke Federatie (1999-07-20--2002-03-17)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, in the course of the budgetary procedure for the 2001 budget, the debates in this Parliament focussed on a limited number of issues. One of these issues was, and still is today, the increase in the financial perspective for foreign policy. The Council is right to reject this revision because there is no point in putting a ceiling on the expenditure in Berlin for a period of six years if these ceilings are going to be called into question every year. These maximum levels force the Commission to set priorities within the confines of a budget, in the way that every government has to. Another issue to be given an airing once again this year was the flexibility instrument. An instrument of EUR 200 million that has now been earmarked, in agreement with the Council, for aid to the Balkans. As Mr Colom i Naval rightly commented, using the flexibility instrument in this way misses the whole point, i.e. the assuaging of unforeseen budgetary need. To be perfectly honest, I do wonder whether he would have said the same if this instrument had been used in the same spurious way for MEDA, as proposed by Parliament. It so happens that I voiced this criticism during the first reading of the budget, and I do not recall anybody applauding it. Needless to say, I am not against giving aid to the Balkans. The Union as an association of nation States, born of the need for peace in Europe, has a duty of honour to finance the process of peace and reconciliation in the Balkans. However, I feel that when it comes to mounting such an extensive operation, we must take stock of the need for aid before opening our wallet. The zeal shown by the Commission and Parliament to equip the Balkans with aid reserves, contrast sharply with the cuts in aid for the candidate States. Mr President, we probably ought to reserve the flexibility instrument for the 2002 budget now for the candidate states. They might wish to join the EU earlier, completely out of the blue."@en1

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