Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-02-12-Speech-3-047"
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"en.20030212.3.3-047"2
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"Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Mr President of the Commission, the letter sent to you by the prime ministers of Europe’s big three economies, Mr Chirac, Mr Blair and Mr Schröder, makes the spring Council far more important than a merely routine Council following the standard procedure. It makes it a symbol of the unity of Europe, at a time when this unity is being severely tested; perhaps even a symbol of hope.
This letter is commendably realistic because it puts the emphasis where it is needed: on industry which, apart from the fact that it generates 25% of total European domestic product, also employs 45 million people; at a time when there is a great deal of talk about services, knowledge and so on, it is worth remembering that the economy has a far more material and palpable basis. It also puts the question of public utility services on the right footing. These services are a necessary basis and a necessary infrastructure for the economy and they must be maintained in the European way, not in ways which could lead to their being broken up, as is the case in certain sectors in the United States.
Then there is the whole issue of modernising the markets and not tying companies down in more red tape. That is quite right. And of course, one issue which is extremely important when it comes to unifying the markets is the unification of the financial markets. From this point of view, 2003 is a milestone in the Lisbon programme. We also need to complete the legislation unifying the transport markets; perhaps the Commission could tell us if it is optimistic about at least keeping to this deadline.
The prime ministers also emphasise the need for high levels of employment. It is worth remembering that Lisbon talks of full employment, not high levels of employment, and we should stick to our original ambition. Then, of course, there is the question of investments. Where the money is going to come from now that the stock exchanges are falling is a question which needs to be addressed and I hope, Mr President, that the skills of the Greek Government, which has a very distinguished economic staff, will create the optimistic climate without which confidence will crumble and the economy – and hence the Lisbon process – will not progress. This optimism is sorely needed."@en1
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