Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-04-Speech-3-017"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-06-04"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Preparation of the European Council in Thessaloniki on 20 and 21 June 2003, and meeting between the Troika and the countries participating in the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030604.2.3-017"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-06-04-Speech-3-0182
lpv:speaker	lp:Gerard Collins2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, it is now clear that a new draft EU Treaty will be presented to our EU leaders in Thessaloniki. The Convention has carried out a great deal of work since it was first established 18 months ago, and we now await the results. For the most part, we share the fundamental reason why the Convention was first established. The Union is at an historic crossroads and from 1 May 2004 we will be a Community of 25 different Member States. There are a number of challenges which the Union must face and which must include the following. How can a European Union undergoing enlargement organise itself to ensure continuing effectiveness? What should Europe's role be in an increasingly globalised world and how can the European Union be brought closer to its citizens? The draft Treaty will form a basis for the final EU Treaty which will be put in place at the IGC in the near future. It is very important that EU governments and citizens are given time to reflect on the provisions of the draft Treaty. We are all seeking to ensure that we put in place a Treaty which can govern the operation of the Union over the next 50 years. We know that recent Treaties, including the Amsterdam and Nice Treaties, have imperfections. However, these European Union Treaties guarantee that the Union can operate effectively for the time being. Before the terms of a final EU Treaty are agreed upon, we must ensure that cautious, careful and wide-ranging discussions take place with all interested parties from both the large and the small countries. The European Union is a union of states and peoples and the success of the Union as an economic and political entity is premised on the fact that both smaller and larger Member States are treated in many respects as equal partners within the Union. I believe that each Member State should retain the right to nominate one member of the Commission or, at a minimum, ensure that there is an equality of representation on the Commission from both small and large states. I share the broad concerns that the present system of rotating presidencies may not be an effective model to operate in a Community of 25 Member States, but I strongly believe that more discussion is certainly going to have to take place on how the European Council is going to carry out its business in an enlarged Union. I am satisfied that some sensitive issues of national concern will remain the preserve of individual Member States. It is clear that the issue of tax harmonisation is not high on the agenda of the work of the Convention. This is the proper approach as taxation matters are best left to be decided by the individual Member States' governments."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; UEN (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 chair; Delegation for relations with South Africa (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Fianna Fáil Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Collins (UEN )."1

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