Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-03-Speech-2-339"
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"en.20020903.13.2-339"2
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"Mr President, I want to congratulate the rapporteur on this report and indeed congratulate Commissioner Diamantopoulou for her very excellent work in this area of social policy. A major step forward was made for the European Union at the Lisbon Summit, in its commitment not only to a competitive, dynamic economy but also to a society which is cohesive and based on full employment. Too often we hear spokesmen from the various political groups talking purely about the idea of a competitive economy and ignoring the balance we need to ensure within the European Union in terms of modernising and deepening the social model that we have in Europe.
The Nice Summit also took a major step forward in adopting the new social agenda. If we had had a referendum in Ireland on that, rather than on the Treaty of Nice, it would have received 100% support. Unfortunately we do not have to vote on these issues at this stage. But it was an important advance.
I have to say, however, that progress seems to have considerably slowed down since then. I have no doubt there are forces or elements in the European Union – both in the Commission and in the Council – which are deliberately seeking to slow down progress on this agenda. It seems to me to be short-sighted. If we are serious about creating a European Union which has the support of the citizens, we must give a balanced commitment to the development of a social Europe. Even for the centre right it makes sense. If they are serious about Europe and creating a Europe of states and peoples, then we must ensure that equality, cohesion and solidarity rule right across the Union.
I feel there are inadequacies in the scoreboard itself. Not all the progress has yet been measured. I welcome the idea of a mid-term review for early next year and I look forward to participating in it. I hope that in the years ahead, particularly in the Convention and the subsequent IGC, we can succeed in ensuring that the commitment that began to be developed in Lisbon and subsequently in Nice can be incorporated and deepened in a constitution for the European Union which guarantees that we have not only a competitive Europe but a Europe that cares equally for all of its citizens."@en1
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