Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-07-05-Speech-3-018"
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"en.20060705.2.3-018"2
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".
Mr President, I should like to welcome the President-in-Office and the President of the Commission to the Chamber.
When the incoming Presidency sets out its programme, it can often sound a little stale or bored and the reaction to it is also stale. That is why it is unfortunate that some of the brilliant ideas from the Presidency on the future it envisages for the European Union have not been taken up properly. Looking at the different Presidency programmes – whether the Finnish Presidency, the previous Austrian Presidency or even the advance programme for the German Presidency – we can often see continuity in one area, but we can also see the individuality of the country taking over the Presidency.
One of the key elements we in the European Union must focus on is our relationship with the countries to the east of the existing European Union borders. You, President-in-Office, have proved your ability and skill in building up the relationship with Russia. It is not just about energy, but also about neighbourhood policy, cooperation and geopolitical stability, because there are so many issues in the former states of the Soviet Union that can create uncertainty and instability within the European Union. We have to be careful of that and we look to you to utilise your resources and skills in those areas.
Secondly, on the question of transparency and openness – and people often speak about transparency without fully realising or understanding what it means – the most transparent thing Parliament, the institutions and the Presidency can do is to deliver on their commitments. That is why, President-in-Office, the ideas being proposed on improving justice and home affairs, promoting alternative energy – although I might disagree with you on other aspects of climate change and their solutions – and new ways of creating biofuels, bio-energy and bioethanol are the way forward. You and some of your ministers will need to be courageous in standing up to the lobby groups that want to push us down a single road. The best approach is the multi-track approach, taking the best from each individual part.
The President of the Commission rightly referred to the importance of research and technology and innovation for the European economy. If we in Europe are not ahead of the rest of the world in our ability to create new ideas and new innovations, we will lose. No matter how good our tax regimes or infrastructure, if we do not have the brains, intelligence and capacity to utilise and exploit those ideas, then we will fail. I think some of the ideas your Presidency is putting forward on research and development will yield dividends for us. The protection of intellectual property should be one of your concerns.
Finally, I have not so far mentioned football, but I have to mention one aspect and that is that football is a game of two halves and even extra time. It may be that we need extra time rather than applying the
clause under Article 42 immediately. Let us ensure that we have consensus in the Council before moving forward."@en1
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