Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-12-14-Speech-3-052"
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"en.20051214.6.3-052"2
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"Mr President, the structure of this debate creates great confusion, mixing up the Council on Thursday with the European consensus on development. It is surely because of this misunderstanding that Mr Durão Barroso has not said a word about the latter, although Mr Alexander has referred to it. I wish to talk about it on behalf of the Socialist Group.
With regard to the European consensus on development, we feel very satisfied, though we also have certain concerns. Satisfaction at the process employed in drawing up the declaration; satisfaction at the initiative of the Commission and of Commissioner Louis Michel that a document should be produced to replace that of 2000; and also satisfaction at the decisive involvement of the British Presidency and of Minister Hilary Benn in this operation.
The flexibility demonstrated by the Commission and the Council with a view to achieving the final agreed text is also worthy of note. The Presidency’s determination to convince the other twenty-four governments, some of which were very unwilling at the beginning, to accept the compromise that was taking shape, has also been notable.
One significant change was the Commission and the Council’s will to involve Parliament in the signature and, before that, in the process that has led to the wording of the statement defining the Union’s development policy for the coming years.
Our participation, through Anders Wijkman and followed by all of the groups in the Committee on Development, has been effective; it was essential that we acted firmly and in a united fashion. Thanks to this, the statement includes most of our suggestions.
By providing them with a political framework, this statement should enhance the commitments that were made a few months ago on the proposal of the Council of Development Ministers and which drastically increase the efforts of the Union and its Member States to overcome under-development and its consequences for the people suffering from it. At least we are acting in accordance with the provisions of the European Constitution, which indicates that the Union’s responsibilities in the field of solidarity with the South are one of our priorities.
We could talk about coherence if it were not for other greater incoherences, which are the source of the concern mentioned earlier: the financial perspectives announced by the British Presidency, showing a worrying degree of schizophrenia, are incompatible with the budgetary commitments made at the Leeds Council and the actions laid down in the statement being debated today.
That is why we are so worried that all our hopes are destined to be dashed. And that is why my group would like to make it clear that we will not accept such a prospect and we will act to ensure that the hopes raised today are not dashed when the resources available for the coming years are approved.
Congratulations to everybody today, but I would point out that there will be great resistance if there is any intention to take with one hand tomorrow what is given today with the other."@en1
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