Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-03-Speech-1-180"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060403.14.1-180"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, before I start, I find it quite amazing that first an Irishwoman says that Ireland has got absolutely nothing out of the European Union, and then someone from Northern Ireland said that trade policy has nothing to do with democracy. It is quite astonishing. It is quite clear that Ireland is the greatest success story of the European Union. And yes, trade is an exclusive competence of the European Communities, but basically Member States sit around a table, make a decision by qualified majority, and give the Commission a mandate to negotiate. Of course, if you wanted a federation, perhaps you would do things a bit differently, but I have not heard anything of that sort. Anyway, I am sorry, I could not hold myself back.
I have several points. First, I would like to welcome the report, which I have to do because Mr Papastamkos is sitting in front of me and if I do not he would turn around and punch me in the face! I think it raises key issues. I also think that globalisation is the best thing that has happened to us over the past 150 years. It has raised global welfare; hundreds of millions of people have improved their living conditions. Our great challenge, within the context of the WTO, is how to find a key role for the European Union and how to get everyone on board.
Secondly, if Doha failed, we would probably survive in the short term; after all, we are a global trading power – over 20% of world trade comes from us, over 20% comes from the United States. We could have some bilateral trade agreements with other parts of the world. But in the long term I do not think it would work out. In the long term protectionism works like an ostrich; you are trying to hide from reality in many ways.
Thirdly, and this is for Mrs Wallström – and through her for Mr Mandelson – I agree with those who say that we have already given many concessions, especially on agriculture. I think the Commission is doing a great job, but the reality is that, at the end of the day, we will most probably have to make a few more concessions.
Finally, I believe that we need to finish these negotiations in 2006, because after that we are not going to have the United States on board."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples