Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-07-05-Speech-3-067"
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"en.20060705.2.3-067"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I think that all the important points have already been made, but I hope that you will just allow me to stress one or two points, returning in particular to questions that were raised during the debate.
Secondly, and still with regard to relations with Russia, let us be quite clear: in the negotiation mandate that we presented to the Council regarding our relations with that country, the first point on the list is not energy, or even trade – no, the first point relates to human rights, respect for democracy and respect for the rule of law. That is the precondition for developing a special partnership with a country with which we do, of course, want to build a relationship, a country that also wants to build a relationship with us.
If I may, I would like to make one final point regarding the continuity on which Mr Vanhanen spoke so eloquently. It is true that we, the European Parliament and the Commission, have a five-year mandate, and that the various Presidencies each have a specific purpose, but there is sometimes a problem of continuity over time, as was also identified during the negotiations regarding the constitutional treaty. On this point, I think we are starting to make progress, as the Austrian Presidency showed. The Presidencies are all connected, and it is a very positive sign that the constitutional issue of the granting of a mandate has been clearly raised. On this subject, I support the pragmatic approach determined by results, and also the constructive approach chosen by the Finnish Presidency.
Ladies and gentlemen, when we were talking about a Europe of results, we did not know that the football was so soon going to show Europe's ability to be the best in terms of results. Some of you gave in to the temptation to use the football World Cup to show that we can, in this field too, be proud of our results, but I think, as you have stressed, that, when it comes to the economy, competitiveness, our competition-based model and our values, we can and must produce more results. I am sure that we will be able to do so during the Finnish Presidency.
First of all, we are very much in favour of the approach referred to as the 'Europe of results', but let me make it clear that the Europe of results is not an alternative to the Europe of values, but, on the contrary, the means of strengthening adhesion to those values. It is a question of taking two paths at the same time, each of which can strengthen the other. Our vision of a Europe supporting real projects is very much built on the idea that we need to strengthen the conditions needed to create a Europe with a dimension of social cohesion and justice, a Europe with a political vision, a Europe that is willing to use its weight, to exert its influence and to promote its values throughout the world. That is why we think it is important to follow these two paths at the same time.
To respond to the question I was asked regarding the link between enlargement and constitutional reform, I have said many times that Nice is not enough. In an enlarged Europe – and we are already an enlarged Europe – we need to reform the institutions to make them more effective and more democratic, and to improve the coherency of Europe's actions in the world.
In addition, the Constitutional Treaty negotiated between the Member States was already designed for the Europe of 25, which gives added strength to the idea that a Europe of 27 or more Member States will need institutional reform. That, indeed, is the Commission's position.
With regard to the specific priorities of this Presidency, I would like to stress something that emerged very clearly from the debate: the importance attached to innovation. We think that the Lahti Summit could be a great moment for Europe if the Heads of State or Government can actually now agree to produce concrete results as part of the innovation agenda. As several of you emphasised here today, Europe has many excellent universities and research institutions, but it lacks the capacity to translate all this activity into more concrete results for the economy and for the competitiveness of our continent. We therefore need to improve the connection between knowledge, science and research, on the one hand, and concrete results, on the other, and innovation is the key to that. Finland can use its considerable experience and its specific authority to help us to produce concrete results.
Another field in which our actions are going to be judged over the next six months is that of freedom, security and justice. This debate has made it clear that there is broad support for the idea that we must do more at Community level, too. There is, of course, an intergovernmental dimension – we could do more in terms of cooperation between the governments – but we also need a Community dimension in certain domains, such as the management of both legal and illegal immigration. The problems currently being experienced by some of our Member States, such as Spain, are not just their problem, but are shared by the whole of Europe. It is clear, in these circumstances, that we cannot separate legal and illegal immigration, and that we need a European approach in this area.
I think that, on this matter, all of us – the Finnish Presidency, the Member States and us – are going to be judged at the end of these six months on our willingness to produce, on the basis of the existing treaties, better results in terms of security and justice, including, of course, when it comes to immigration.
Another issue that Parliament regards as extremely important, and that is also a priority for the Finnish Presidency, is energy, and, in this field, we must make ourselves quite clear, particularly with regard to relations with Russia.
First of all, we are in favour of a constructive partnership with Russia with regard to energy, but, as was clear from the strategic paper prepared by the Commission, we do not simply propose to develop good relations with Russia, but also to diversify. The solution to Europe's energy problems is diversification: diversification of the country of origin, the country of supply and the country of transit, and also diversification of our sources of energy, in particular by increasing investment in renewable energy. So, the solution for energy is to diversify, and not to lock ourselves into a relationship with a single partner, however important that partner may be."@en1
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