Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-13-Speech-3-008"
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".
Madam President, Minister for Foreign Affairs, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow, the European Council will meet in Gothenburg. There are many items on the agenda but I intend to focus on just two of them: enlargement and sustainable development. However, another very important subject will also be discussed in Gothenburg: the outcome of the referendum held by the Republic of Ireland on the ratification of the Nice Treaty.
Firstly, sustainable development. At Gothenburg, the Heads of State and Government will discuss a new policy line based on the Commission proposal, which represents a radical shift in our way of thinking. Indeed, it uses the Lisbon strategy to create an ambitious, yet achievable process for sustainable development. Our proposal is based on the premise that sustainable development is not just about the environment but about ensuring that economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection progress hand in hand. Far from being contradictory, economic, social and environmental objectives are actually complementary. This is the core of the European model of society which we want to build and preserve for future European generations: if we do not do this it will be difficult to integrate Europe. Our proposal brings these objectives together in a single, integrated strategy that seeks to find long-term solutions to the issues which are of real concern to our fellow citizens.
Let me give you just a few examples of what we want to achieve at Gothenburg. As regards social policy, our proposed strategy incorporates all the targets set by the previous European Councils – at Lisbon and Stockholm – targets to modernise the social security system, to combat poverty and social exclusion and to deal with the problem of our ageing society.
As regards climate change, our aim is not simply to implement Kyoto but to go beyond it. This will be a long-term process which cannot be decided all at once, but the line we are to take must be clear and consistent right from the very beginning.
As regards agricultural policy, we unambiguously restate the European Union's latest objectives, focusing now on high quality, healthy food production rather than quantity. Our aim must be to satisfy consumers while, at the same time, taking full account of farmers' interests.
As regards transport policy, we intend to break the link between economic growth and the indiscriminate growth in road transport.
Enlargement makes action on all these fronts all the more urgent and every single citizen must be involved in making the changes happen. The Members of this House have a vital role to play here: you have local roots and have close links with the regional and local authorities that will be primarily responsible for implementing sustainable development policy on the ground. You are therefore in the ideal, crucial position to be able to explain and discuss the initiatives and to facilitate their implementation.
This strategy for sustainable development is essential if we are to bring about a balanced, just society in Europe. We Europeans – and I would stress this – are right to be proud of our social model, although we do seem to have lost the thread rather in recent years have ceased to be proud of it, but this may well be a reason why we need to modernise it so that it will work for future generations.
Moreover, the future of our planet depends on sustainable global development, and the best way for the European Union to promote this is to implement our proposals and lead by example. Even the other continents look to us, although this may not always be apparent.
Moving on to my second subject: enlargement. I have never ceased to stress that enlargement is our historic duty: the duty of my Commission, of course, but also, in my view, the duty of Parliament. It must happen now for the time is ripe. The single market, the introduction of the euro, the now tangible fruit of the reform of our public finances and the progress we are making in economic and social reform all combine to make this a very opportune moment for enlargement. We must therefore make every effort to complete the process swiftly.
The Commission is conducting the accession negotiations responsibly and rigorously, fulfilling its mandate from the Council. Its impartial, institutional role ensures that the process is not thrown off course by short-term political considerations. We are keeping to the principles of differentiation and progress according to merit, allowing countries that began negotiating in 2000 to catch up with those that began earlier. We are scrupulously following the road map drawn up last year and endorsed at Nice, and I am pleased to report that excellent progress has been made. Moreover, I am truly grateful to the Swedish Presidency for the impetus it has given to these negotiations and for the contribution it has made to them.
Two days ago, the General Affairs Council discussed this matter and the 14 Member States adopted a statement. I would like to make a few brief remarks on the subject. While not wishing in any way to interfere in the sovereign decisions of the Irish people, I am personally deeply saddened by the outcome of the referendum. However, the enlargement process must not be held up. As I will say again in a few minute's time, it is a historical and political necessity. The Commission will therefore continue to do its full duty to achieve this goal. Nevertheless, there is a political lesson to be learned.
The road map is therefore appropriate and must be continued. Thus, I have every reason to believe that we will succeed in concluding negotiations with the best-prepared candidates by the end of 2002 and complete ratification in time for the European elections in 2004.
The Gothenburg Council should therefore note our progress and lay down the necessary guidelines for completing the negotiations.
The most sensitive chapters are now open. Basically, there are four of them: the environment, the free movement of persons, capital and services, the Structural Funds and agriculture. I have listed them in ascending order of the difficulties they pose. These are undoubtedly complex areas, but it is now clear that, in some cases, transitional periods will help to overcome some of the difficulties. The Commission is therefore ready to propose the necessary technical solutions and the necessary political compromises.
What is needed now is flexibility on the part of all the negotiators and a strong political commitment to reaching agreement even in the most sensitive areas. Flexibility and good sense now appear to be the qualities we most need on both sides of the table.
Ladies and gentlemen, the need for public support is clear. Enlargement will increase the Union's population by 30%. It will also be a much more diverse Union in many ways, and it will share extensive borders with large countries such as Russia and Ukraine. Many of our fellow citizens are apprehensive about how all this will affect their daily lives – about its impact on employment, the environment, immigration and law and order. The Members of this House have the crucial task of reassuring the citizens, explaining the problems calmly and objectively but also explaining the great benefits they will draw from the project to unify Europe.
Enlargement will be the driving force of our economy and the labour market for the whole of the next generation. It will also be our one means of controlling the scourges that disregard national borders such as organised crime and the trafficking of drugs, arms and human beings. Together, we can do more and do it better. The enlarged Union will be a stronger and more influential actor on the world's stage.
Ladies and gentlemen, enlargement is not just a technical process and we must never allow ourselves to become so engrossed in the technicalities that we lose the overall vision. The vision of the Europe that our children and grandchildren can inherit is a common future in a Union which will stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea, from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean. But this is not all. I want us to think in terms of a continent-wide Community of peaceful nations, consisting of the enlarged European Union and all its new neighbours, increasingly sharing common values and objectives. This is not just a dream: the process has already begun, facilitated, as I said, by the Swedish Presidency's major contribution.
In Moscow, last month, the leaders of the Russian Federation and the European Union agreed to begin work on creating a common European economic area. They began to examine the real possibility of adopting the euro, in the future, for their commercial and financial transactions. We intend, at the same time, to pursue a similar strategy towards Ukraine.
On this basis, the enlarged European Union and its neighbours will be able to find common solutions to common problems in areas such as transport, energy and the environment, research, development, immigration and the fight against organised crime. Only a wider Community of the kind we are building can enjoy lasting peace, prosperity and stability.
Ladies and gentlemen, enlargement and sustainability are thus the two keys to Europe's future. I am confident that you share my vision of that future and I am equally confident that Gothenburg will enable us to take significant steps towards making that vision a reality.
Every referendum tells a story. However, despite the fact that the poor turnout makes it difficult to interpret the result, it cannot be denied that, in freely expressing their will, the Irish people have reminded us once again that our fellow citizens do not understand our method for revising the Treaties – the method used at Nice – and no longer want it.
They have told us so in the most democratic way possible – by voting – but they have also told us so by not voting, revealing the indifference and confusion they feel about the issue.
It is not enough to repeat, for the umpteenth time, that we need to communicate more and better with the citizens of Europe and that the real issues are often distorted or misunderstood. That is not the point. We need to take on board the lesson the citizens are teaching us. I am therefore pleased to hear that Minister Lindh does not intend to propose a repeat performance of
of advisers and governments meeting behind closed doors at Gothenburg. It is imperative that we stop this way of working.
Therefore, at Laeken, we must lose no time in marking out the only way forward acceptable to our citizens, which is to set up a structure which is representative of the States and the elected members of both national and European parliaments: a Convention which will work on revising the Treaties openly, in the clear light of day, fully reflecting the great debate which is now taking place in all the Member States. We have been starting to talk about Europe again – I am glad to say – for six months now: let us do it properly! The Commission is ready to make an active contribution to this structure.
Let me now return to my two original topics: sustainable development and enlargement. I would like to outline what I hope the Summit will achieve in these two areas."@en1
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