Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-11-Speech-2-023"
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"en.20011211.2.2-023"2
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"Madam President, Madam President-in-Office of the Council, Mr President of the Commission, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, it is not really all that common for the political group chairmen to express praise and appreciation. Normally, if we praise someone and express our appreciation for anyone, it is for the President of this Parliament. We often have occasion to express our thanks and praise for her. However, today I would like to say a word of appreciation to the Council, and to you, Mrs Neyts-Uyttebroeck, for being here today for the first time, as our President has just said. Last time round I was critical because the Council was not represented. If the Council pursues a good policy, even if it concerns working methods, then that deserves our appreciation. You are a Belgian; you represent the Belgian Presidency. I would like to thank you very sincerely on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and the European Democrats not only for being here today, but also for the committed way you have worked during your presidency.
We also support what you have said about enlargement. Up to 10 new countries could be included in the first round. This is not the time to say which those countries will be. However, we do not agree with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs when he says that we should accept all the Central European countries, as when we make a decision on this in autumn 2002, we can only accept those countries which meet the conditions. Those countries that do not meet the conditions cannot yet expect to join the European Union.
It is not acceptable for countries like Hungary to have to wait because other countries are not yet ready. Those countries that do meet the conditions should not be held back because other countries are not yet ready, and we hope that the decisions made at that point will be the right ones. We also fully support your comments about the Mediterranean region. We need to work with great commitment under the Barcelona Process, which is becoming ever more urgent and involves an ever greater contribution to stability. You mentioned how important stability is for us if we want to make Europe truly competitive, because it is not enough for us simply to declare that the European Union is to become the most competitive area in the world. We also have to take the necessary structural measures, and that means in particular strengthening Europe as a location for investment. There should not just be tax incentives for major corporations, but also for medium-sized companies, so that they too can invest, and when investments are made that leads to the creation of jobs.
I shall wind up now, Madam President. We have an ambitious programme, we support the Commission and we call on the Commission and the Council for us all to work together, as there should not be any competition between our various institutions, because we are all committed to the same Europe, and that is why the Commission, the Council and Parliament must each fulfil their own responsibilities. We are prepared to do so, and will support the other institutions when they do the same.
I would now like to address the President of the Commission. We in the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats have a very high regard for the President of the Commission, for his personal integrity and for his positive attitude. However, if we want to achieve joint successes, these successes have to be based on truthfulness and on sensible working methods and structures. Mr Prodi, you know of course that the political groups in the European Parliament prepare each part-session here in Strasbourg by means of their work in group meetings in Brussels. Many members of my group said last week in Brussels, when we were doing our preparatory work, that the 2002 work programme was on the agenda, but where was the document that we could have used to prepare for this debate in Strasbourg? Many members were in favour of striking this debate from the agenda. Mr Prodi, I have to tell you that this should not happen again, we must never again find ourselves without a working document for such an important debate. I would ask you to ensure in future – and this is not just your task as President but rather one for the Commission as a whole, and for your staff – that documents are made available in good time and that the European Parliament is treated seriously, so that we can work in a reasonable way, which is in both our interest and yours.
Reasonable working methods are essential if we are to succeed here. If we do not have reasonable working methods and structures, we do not have any chance of succeeding. We want to work towards joint success because we are firmly convinced that the Commission and this House, as committed advocates of the Community method, need to work towards the same goals. So if you have any colleagues who do not take Parliament so seriously, it is therefore in their own interest to consider whether working methods should not be restructured in their field. We are not just offering you and your fellow Commissioners a hand; we also need a sensible form of cooperation if we are to achieve joint successes. For that reason, relations between Parliament and the Commission need to be in good order. That is something that you want as well, but in that case the fine words that we certainly appreciate also need to be matched by specific practical action when it comes to cooperation.
A programme like the one we have before us deserves to be supported by all the Members of the Commission, and indeed we have five Members of the Commission with us today, which is more than usual, but this programme covers all areas of work in 2002. You yourself said that you are effectively the European government, an idea with which we in our group have a great deal of sympathy. However, if you are effectively the European government, then the whole government should be here, with all your Members. I would very much welcome it if that were the case next time.
Mr President of the Commission, when we are setting our agenda during the meeting of political group chairmen, we often hear that Commissioner A, B or C cannot be here in Strasbourg at such and such a time. I really must urge you, given that we are only talking about four days each month – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – to ensure that all Members of the Commission keep those days free. If Parliament asks for Commissioners to be here, then they should come, and the excuse that they have other commitments is not acceptable. Parliament should have priority over any other commitments the Commission may have.
There are of course exceptions – I say that because I see Commissioner Lamy is with us – when there are major world conferences on the international calendar, such as the Doha Conference, which Mr Lamy and Mr Fischler of course have to attend. We are not insisting on this point 100%, but basically speaking Parliament must have priority over other Commission activities.
If I may now turn to the substance of the programme, Mr President of the Commission, we largely support what you have said. We are in agreement, and for that reason we should cooperate sensibly and effectively. We now expect, like you, that next weekend in Laeken the Heads of State and Government will give the Convention an ambitious mandate so as to achieve a really positive reform of the EU institutions. We recommend that an early start should be made on this work, at the end of February or the beginning of March, so that the Convention can be concluded at the end of 2003 under the Italian Presidency."@en1
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