Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-03-Speech-1-118"
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"en.20060403.11.1-118"2
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".
Mr President, I wish to begin by saying that I very much commend the report as it emerged from committee and I thank Mr Lipietz for his work.
I think it is the general view that the report has been improved by a number of the amendments made and I want to focus quickly on some of them: the emphasis on consumers, with specific proposals adding that we support the idea of private competition and enhancing the role of the consumer liaison officer. We welcome the first year of implementation of the process of reform undertaken by the Commission and we are also looking forward to the completion of the Article 82 approach – the interpretation of which is currently the subject of consultation.
I do not, however, propose to go through all the provisions in the report in detail. I just want to say that, in welcoming, for instance, the sectoral inquiries that have been launched, I draw attention to the aim of the Commission and of Commissioner Kroes to tackle protectionism.
In this context, I make no apology for highlighting something of great concern to all of us, which has arisen since this report was drawn up, and that is the vote that has recently taken place in the United States Senate to extend the process for dealing with merger cases in a way which amounts to blatant US protectionism. In my view, this amendment of the rules of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States could place new and damaging restrictions on foreign investments. Those are not my words, but the words of six of the leading financial services institutions in the United States.
The Commissioner, along with her colleagues, has been working very closely with the US Government to deal with issues of regulatory cooperation. I have in front of me a copy of the agreement of last December. Item 8 of this states: ‘We – that is the US Government and the Commission – agree to discuss any significant remaining obstacles to transatlantic investment that the other party identifies, and will consider how to address and reduce such obstacles with a view to promoting closer transatlantic economic integration’.
In my view, the proposals in the United States strike a blow against that proposition and I would say that it is so serious that the Commissioner should make it clear to her counterparts in the United States that if they proceed in this way then retaliatory measures in Europe may be necessary."@en1
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