Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-02-13-Speech-4-117"
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"en.20030213.5.4-117"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, it might appear somewhat strange that someone who does not live in the area concerned should be taking an interest in this problem. In the ELDR Group, however, we have had an extensive discussion on the ability of this industry to compete and in particular on the level playing field within which this sector of industry is supposed to move. I was therefore a little disappointed with your input with regard to what the European Union could do. After all, we must realise that the level playing field has not always existed throughout Europe – far from it – and indeed still does not exist in some places. In particular, the World Trade Organisation and the OECD still offer great opportunities.
For the people in the region, whether we are talking about this industry, which is in difficulties or another region, it will be of great importance that much is done in the field of innovation and research. We have funds in Europe that we can work with. It is not as if the Commission is incapable of doing anything at all. I would like to remind you that when the European Union realised that we had fallen behind in the area of the information society, your predecessor Mr Bangemann brought into being a platform that encouraged European Member States to catch up. In this area too – in view of our imminent enlargement to include Eastern Europe – we should not be saying that companies must not relocate; we should be saying that we must try to retain control of innovation, and that means that the research funds can certainly have a part to play and that the European Commission can also be a source of encouragement.
Finally I would like to draw your attention to the European social funds. It seems to me to be logical that wherever there is a good social charter and where companies make efforts themselves, an additional input should come via the European Social Fund so that if redundancies are in fact unavoidable, people are offered prospects for the future via retraining and are not left out in the cold. The question that we will be faced with in the future is whether we can work together to give Europe a different aspect from that currently presented to the world by the USA. I am very much in favour of a liberal Europe, but it must be a social liberal Europe. I also find that your speech gives too little indication of the incentives there could be both at European and at national level ."@en1
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