Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-27-Speech-3-063"
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"en.20041027.5.3-063"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the decision we have to take today is one of great importance for the European Union and for its future. We have had lively discussions and vigorous disagreements over the last few weeks. My group’s resolution, taken unanimously yesterday evening, was preceded by hard, tough debates and serious disagreements, even in our own ranks. We had disagreements because our decision would involve passing judgment on our Social Democrat friends in the Commission. After lengthy discussions yesterday evening, which involved them – and let me tell them that they were the outstanding members of the proposed Commission – our solidarity with these friends from our group meant that the decision was not, for us, an easy one. The decision we took yesterday evening is that we, despite everything, cannot have confidence in the Commission that you, Mr Barroso, would have proposed, or intended to propose, this morning. Rather than revisit the debate, which was a lively one, I want to tell you that, having recognised – this morning, yesterday evening and during the course of yesterday – that this proposal would not gain a majority, you came to the right conclusion by acceding to Parliament’s wishes. On behalf of my group, let me say that this was the right course of action. What you are doing this morning opens up the way to a shared future for all of us, both the Commission and the broad majority in the European Parliament.
I was pleased to hear Mr Poettering say that he supported this development, and I can tell him that it is never too late to join those who said that the European Parliament also needs to be strengthened when debates are cut short, when they are reduced to a presentation, on the basis that the European Parliament talks sense only when it agrees with the Commission. So, welcome to the club, Mr Poettering. Those who want a strong Commission, enabled to work by the broad support for it in the European Parliament, are those who want one strong institution – the Commission – supported by another strong institution – Parliament – to be capable of dealing with the real challenges of the years to come. If you strengthen such a Commission, then you are for Europe. If you seek to make it dependent on the votes of that gentleman, whose three or four votes just might help the Commission get a majority, then you are weakening Europe. That is why a broad majority is necessary.
In the last few weeks, Mr Barroso, we have had various proposals to put to you. My group expects you, in your future considerations, to bear in mind the proposals that this House put to you at the end of the hearings. Speaking on behalf of my group, I can tell you that we also expect your considerations to be influenced by what the Socialist Group in the European Parliament has told you, for one thing is clear, and that is that you will need my group’s support for your future Commission too. While offering you cooperation, we also urge you to take seriously the advice that the Socialist Group in this House has given you. On 22 July, you had 413 votes, some of them from members of my group. Many in my group did not vote for you on that occasion, but what you got then was a great vote of confidence. Over the last three months, you have been gambling with some of your credit, but, with your decision today, you have won some of it back. We in the European Parliament’s Socialist Group are ready for constructive collaboration, and that is the road you have chosen today – something we have sometimes missed over the last few weeks. If we are to achieve something in the next few weeks, I ask you not to bring back the same Commission that you would have presented to us today, as otherwise we could have voted on it today. I ask you to bring us a new proposal, one offering the possibility of broader support for the Commission."@en1
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