Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-05-16-Speech-2-035"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060516.4.2-035"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, I should like to welcome the Commissioner. I should also like to inform my colleague, Mr Stubb, that there was more than one group leader in the Chamber for the duration of the debate.
When we look at what has happened in Europe and when we consider all the words, emotions and print pages that have been published on the future plan for Europe, one key element is missed. That is that what the people across the European Union have said, not just in the referenda on the Constitution but also in previous European elections, was a cry for help. They wanted a greater understanding and a greater knowledge of what Europe is. The people we meet on the streets every day are not afraid of Europe or of the European Union. They are not even afraid of further development or enlargement of the European Union. However, there is a lack of engagement with the European Union and often a lack of trust about where they see the European Union going. When we speak about Plan D for democracy and so on and we put forward these plans, they must be based on what people want.
Many of my colleagues have spoken about the blame game and who is more to blame, because President Barroso did not say this or a government did not say that. Let us be realistic. Some Member States have agreed a text on the Constitution for the future of Europe and it is ultimately up to them to deliver on their agreement, to make sure they convince their people. I would never dream of going to France, Holland or Germany and telling the voters there what they should be doing. It is up to the representatives of those countries themselves to be realistic and not hypocritical, not to play party politics and hide behind doublespeak.
Never was that more highlighted than with the Services Directive. Governments previously agreed in the secrecy of the Council to have a Services Directive, it was put together and then suddenly pressure was applied and they all backed off and said it must be changed. Ultimately that played into the hands of Parliament, because it made us look strong. We could take the concerns of citizens on board and force a change in those amendments.
Plan D must be about proper debate and engagement with people; it must be about respecting the diversity in the European Union; it must be about giving definition to European Union. But, most importantly, it must be about debunking the myths, not just those in the media but the ones we ourselves perpetuate."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples