Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-03-10-Speech-3-289"
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"en.20040310.8.3-289"2
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". – Mr President, I would very much enjoy a visit to the Isle of Skye, and perhaps Sir Neil MacCormick would accompany me. But I shall certainly do that under my own name and not under any assumed name. I hope Sir Neil would agree to that.
I shall address two points that appeared to be important in this debate. Firstly, the question of whether the internal market strategy takes enough account of social, employment and environmental concerns. I must stress that the main aim of the internal market strategy is to strengthen the application of the key principles on which the internal market is based, especially as the Union expands and enlarges to take in ten more Member States. Hence the focus on the free movement of goods and services, mutual recognition, taxation obstacles, implementation and enforcement, and the simplification of rules.
That does not mean that social or environmental aspects are not important. However, there are other instruments which are much better placed to address those concerns, such as, for example, the employment guidelines. Not every document the Commission produces should deal with each and every issue.
I disagree with the view that the internal market is not socially or environmentally friendly. More than 2.5 million jobs have been created since 1993 because of the internal market. Nearly EUR 900 billion cumulatively has been added to our combined gross domestic product – money that supports our social security system, pensions, healthcare and education. Costs of baskets of services and goods include jobs, leaving more money in people's pockets. The internal market has promoted innovation and the adoption of clean-air technology. Therefore, the internal market is a good social and environmental policy.
Secondly, on the matter of liberalisation, firstly, I must stress that privatisation is not the Commission's concern. In fact, Article 295 of the Treaty prohibits the European Commission from dealing with ownership. Liberalisation and competition are the Commission's concern, but not privatisation.
Concerning the services of general economic interest, the Commission makes no apology for its actions to open up the network industries to further competition. Industry and citizens have generally benefited, as demonstrated by the results of performance and evaluation measurement. Quality and user satisfaction are higher than before market opening and prices are often lower. Further market opening is desirable. For example, the Commission has just proposed further steps in the railway sector and we are also looking at ways of injecting more competition into the water sector.
This debate is not about deregulation but re-regulation. The quality of service and respect for general interests remain critical requirements. However, I disagree that public monopolies are the natural guarantor of such standards. Competition is the consumer's best friend. It will always be up to governments to lay down the conditions that services of general interest – public or private – will have to fulfil."@en1
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