Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-02-12-Speech-3-024"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-02-12"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Preparation for the 2003 Spring summit (Brussels, 21-22 March 2003) (continuation)2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030212.3.3-024"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-02-12-Speech-3-0252
lpv:speaker	lp:Jules Maaten2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member_of_the_bureau; ELDR (2002-03-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Member States of ASEAN, south-east Asia and the Republic of Korea (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, the commitments entered into in 2000 for what is known as the Lisbon process were very ambitions, but they did of course constitute a heavy responsibility for the Heads of Government, and three years on we can see that this was all talk and that, up to now, it has not been transformed into any action to speak of. It is very ironic, however, to state that the European Union is going to be the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010 and then do absolutely nothing dynamic about living up to this. In so doing, the European Union makes itself look ridiculous and the Council is not meeting its responsibilities. The most important reason is that we, as a Union, tolerate the failure of the Member States to honour the commitments they have entered into. Over recent years, it has emerged that France, for example, does not, in general, want to have anything to do with the commitments it entered into in 2000. For example, the monopoly of the largest energy supplier remains in place, and, what is more subsidised energy is being exported to those Member States who have indeed opened up their borders. In so doing, we have achieved the opposite of what we intended. The countries that have carried out liberalisation are being punished for their good behaviour. We have to see to it that countries honour the commitments they have entered into. This means commitments that are honoured instead of more targets. If we do not want to let the Lisbon process become a gigantic flop, definite action will have to be taken, and the Commission will have to draw up a clear timetable stating how the aims are to be achieved, setting end dates so that the Member States can be called to account on their responsibilities. The emphasis will have to be placed on financial soundness, on full liberalisation of the services sector, the creation of a knowledge-based economy by investment in research and development, and radical simplification of the regulatory environment. This means less detailed legislation and more framework legislation, so that people are not hampered in their activities by unnecessary red tape. It is not just the Lisbon process but the credibility of the whole Union that is at stake. Finally, I was struck by the speech by Mr Bouwman on behalf of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, but I should like to add one thing to it. He says that jobs should be created at the bottom of the market, and not only for the intellectual elite, and I agree with that, but we have to realise that one is a precondition for the other, and for this we need a competitive Europe."@en1
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"that"1

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