Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-23-Speech-3-052"
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"en.20021023.1.3-052"2
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"Mr President, being Dutch sometimes has its drawbacks. To tell you the truth, I have been rather embarrassed over the past few weeks about the attitude of the Dutch Government. It has wavered long, far too long, over adopting a final stance and abandoning the veto. As fellow MEPs have already pointed out, this was mainly due to the Liberals, who are conspicuous by their absence in this debate, and who, in my view, have adopted a small-minded bookkeeper's attitude in a bid to obtain short-term electoral victory. Fortunately, an attitude of this kind cannot count on much support from other European Liberals.
Anyway, it will all be all right in the end, I think, not least because the opposition of the Social-Democrats and Greens will come to the rescue of the distressed Christian-Democrats in the debate that is being held in the Dutch parliament today. Another reason why it will be all right in the end – and I do want to add this – is because we have before us a sound report from the Commission which is very open and honest about the long list of shortcomings which candidate countries are still displaying – something which I think is very brave – but, crucially, which also offers solutions to all the problems that still exist. As has been mentioned by many fellow MEPs, the vital element needed to find those solutions is monitoring – monitoring the accession process and safeguard measures for two years. I should like to put a question to Commissioner Verheugen on this subject.
Mr Verheugen, you spent the past two weeks in the Netherlands, you talked with the Dutch Government and you were undoubtedly informed of the Dutch Government's stance. I should like to ask you for your observations on two specific points. As you know, the Dutch Government proposes not to restrict those safeguard measures to two years, but possibly to extend them to three and four years. What is your personal opinion about this and what is the Commission's opinion about this?
Secondly, it has been proposed to lift these safeguard measures only in the event of unanimity in the Council. I should like to have your opinion about this too and, with regard to this last point, I should also like to hear the comments of your former colleague, Mr Haarder, current President-in-Office of the Council.
Finally, a word on Turkey. For reasons that are incomprehensible, the Commission has not adopted a stance on this matter. I should again like to ask the Council, and Mr Haarder in particular: is it conceivable – and I am choosing my words carefully – that the Council could reach a different conclusion regarding the setting of an accession date for Turkey? For example, because Turkey could play a very positive role in the case of Cyprus in the next few months and because it is able to prove that it is taking the reforms seriously. I would urge both the Commission and the Council to remain critical about Turkey, as we are doing, but also to continue to reflect on how the reform process can be promoted rather than frustrated."@en1
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