Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-13-Speech-2-275"
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"en.20030513.12.2-275"2
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"Mr President, I am very glad to be here this evening. I was a Member of this Parliament in 1993. I must say that we had the impression then that this would take some time. In those days proposals did not make such rapid progress as they do now. Perhaps we did not imagine that it would take as long as is now the case, but it has taken a long time. Really this should be a reason for great joy. Everyone has said how important the cooperatives in the different European countries are and it is also very good of course that we can bring about a European Statute for them. This we have always supported. I should also like to warmly thank the two rapporteurs for their efforts.
The whole thing is, of course, not entirely problem-free. That cannot be denied. Because of the difficulties with the European Company we are still confronted by some old frustrations and these frustrations will have to be cleared up at some point. The problem is that the Council never learns. If the Council were to learn, this would of course be an easy debate. We gave it the benefit of the doubt with the European Company and what does the Council do the next time? At the first opportunity it abuses its position again!
Mr President, there are of course very many people who are then glad to give way, who say that it is an important matter. I agree with that, but I nonetheless think that we must not allow ourselves to be led astray by the Old Testament story of Jacob who sells his birthright for a plate of lentils. I agree with Mr Mayer who says that we must keep it reasonably tight here. I am also totally astonished that the Greens are now suddenly calling on us not to remain true to our principles. I reproach the Greens for actually being too principled, but I am glad that this time we in the PPE-DE Group are more principled than the Greens.
I think that it is possible and in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs we have done everything to avoid making this just a debate on a matter of principle. The possibility exists that it will be fought out on principle, but the amendments submitted by us mean that this may not be necessary. The Council can simply adopt our amendments. I regret that the Commission has actually rejected all the amendments to the Regulation, and do not think they have been sensible in doing so. I think that they will have to come back to this at some future time, but the opportunity now is with the Council. This I find quite proper. Let him who sets calamity in motion do the clearing-up afterwards. That is what we are letting them do, Mr President. I think that it could ultimately come to a solution if the Council is sensible, but I personally always refuse to go along with those who keep on wanting to give way. The next time we will have to fight the same fight again because, unfortunately, the Council never learns. The Commission learns with difficulty. The Council never learns. This Parliament learns, but not always."@en1
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