Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-04-Speech-3-289"
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"en.20030604.8.3-289"2
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"Madam President, I should like to congratulate Mrs Smet on this report, although our group is also left with quite a few questions on this topic. I recently attended a large pensions conference where open coordination was warmly welcomed in the area of pensions. There are a number of issues, for example in the areas of pensions, employment, asylum, immigration – to which some reference has already been made – which require a solution at European level, and where, in most cases, a legal basis is lacking. The open method of coordination was a godsend.
Despite this, there are also people – including some in my group – who are opposed to the open method of coordination. They are mainly against it on account of the problem cited by Mrs Smet, namely the lack of democratic legitimacy. A number of speakers have echoed this. If we pursue the open method of coordination – of which I am in favour, as also, in fact, is my group – a number of points should be addressed. These have to do with democratic legitimacy. Both the national parliaments and the European Parliament will need to be involved. It is unacceptable for Parliament to be consulted only if it is considered opportune to do so. Parliament will need to be consulted systematically.
Mrs Smet's report also dealt with another aspect that I should like to bring to your attention. The big players in this field are, in fact, people in closed, high-level committees who work out virtually every detail and who then submit their ideas to the Council. I think that this does not benefit public involvement. Citizens feel represented by their Members of Parliament. They want to be able to talk to Members of Parliament about things that are happening or arrangements that are being made and over which, at a given time, they lose any sense of control. So, no matter how sound the system could be in itself, this democratic control will need to be in place.
Another point that has already been mentioned is the issue of indicators. If we want to compare the facts in a number of areas of policy, the facts will need to be comparable. Very clear indicators will therefore need to be put in place which can be measured exactly if a comparison is to be drawn between the Member States.
To cut a long story short, I welcome Mrs Smet's report being discussed at this time. In my opinion, we should ask the Commission to come to an agreement with the Member States to the effect that, if this open method of coordination is maintained in future, at least a number of basic conditions will have to be met."@en1
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