Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-07-10-Speech-2-029"

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"Mr President, Commissioner, I should like to make two points. The first concerns the matter of what is actually going on beyond the discussions. The question being asked is actually, first of all, whether putting postal operators into generalised competition makes a relative reduction in prices possible and, if so, whom does it benefit; then, whether it makes for good working conditions and, if so, for whom, and all of that while ensuring the quality of services. As Members of Parliament, we have been informed by trade unions, but also by the postal operators themselves, that the experience of Germany or Sweden offered no positive answers to these questions. In Germany, we had net losses of 29 000 jobs within the Deutsche Post, of which 15 000 have not been compensated for by the creation of jobs by new operators, not to mention that we are witnessing an increase in casual jobs. In Sweden, price reductions have been of benefit only to large enterprises, at the expense of individual consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, contrary to what Mr Simpson said, it is not for theoretical reasons that we are advocating keeping the reserved area; it is not because it was decided, in 1997, that the die was necessarily cast. I think that we have to look at the facts, and the facts show that, in many countries which have anticipated the opening up to competition, the results have not been up to expectations. That should give us cause for thought. My second point concerns the responsibility of Member States. Indeed, as Mr Grosch said, the proposal presented to us leaves a great deal of autonomy to Member States, both in terms of working conditions and provision of services. Having said this, I consider, for my part, that it is not our responsibility as European elected representatives to define a European law and leave to Member States the option of doing or not doing it. That is the reason why our amendments introduce, in the body of the directive, in its articles, requirements in relation to working conditions and pay and in relation to universal service provision. In my opinion, that is the important difference between the Verts/ALE amendments and the compromise amendments supported by the PPE-DE and ALDE Groups as well as some of the Socialists."@en1

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