Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-06-Speech-4-019"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-11-06"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Employment prospects in the EU automobile sector2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20031106.1.4-019"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-11-06-Speech-4-0202
lpv:speaker	lp:Marianne Thyssen2
lpv:spokenAs	member_of_the_bureau; EPP-ED (1999-10-12--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with Canada (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (2001-10-01--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-03-07--2004-04-30)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, whether or not this or that piece of legislation has been breached, I think it is appropriate to express our solidarity with the people who are being hit by Ford’s decisions, first of all, of course, the workers of Ford Genk, but also the people who work in the supplying companies and in other companies that have been affected. The Commission has told this House that it will carry out a study into the future of the sector. Even though, of course, studies have already been carried out and their results have been made available, I am surprised that the Commission has announced that it still intends to go ahead with this. In Belgium, however, there are economists who claim that employment in the western European car assembly sector is set to halve within the foreseeable future, because the potential market is unable to follow increased productivity. Similar predictions are being made for other sectors in industry. Assuming that the Commission has collated some research material of its own, I should like to ask it whether it shares these gloomy expectations. I hope that they are a little less gloomy, but industry is in any case facing a few changes. I should like to ask the Commissioner whether it is not necessary after all for the government to provide some support while industry is going through this transition. The social partners should definitely be involved as well. In my view, however, the government has a role to play here, as do the European authorities, which certainly have a coordinating task. I have another two specific questions. Reference has been made to the Structural Funds, and to the fact that they will be subject to a review in 2006. The current programming periods are still running. I have asked the Commission what scope the Structural Funds could offer Limburg at this stage. I was told that there is still a percentage of 4% in reserve that can be tapped into at any time. My question is whether, further to the problems at Ford Genk, the Flemish Government has asked the Commission to tap into those 4% or whether it has been silent on that score. Finally, I should like to say the following. This issue has naturally been discussed in the Belgian Parliament, and the Finance Minister has stated there that he would contact the European authorities to see whether it would be possible to join forces again with 'conversion partnerships'. These are partnerships that receive certain fiscal benefits during a certain period of time. On that front too, I should like to find out from the Commission whether or not the Belgian Government has been in touch to date."@en1

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