Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-07-11-Speech-3-009"
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"Mr President – my dear Mr Poettering, my dear Mr Barroso, honourable Members, at the start of the half-year of the Portuguese Presidency, in the presence of the legitimate representatives of the citizens of Europe, I would like to reaffirm the main guiding principle of this Presidency: the construction of a stronger Europe for a better world.
I would like to make it clear to Parliament that there is one point on which I have no doubts. The decisive moment was in October 2006 when the Heads of State or Government of the three countries that made up the trio of Presidencies – Germany, Portugal and Slovenia – agreed to prioritise the resolution of the institutional impasse in their programme. At that time, in October 2006, there were few who believed that such an objective was possible. The fact is that that objective is now within our reach.
We therefore approach that task with confidence and should now complete it by transforming the mandate into a new Treaty. I know we are facing a difficult and demanding process of negotiation and reaching agreement. I am naturally prepared for the problems that always arise, especially in the final stages of negotiating processes. I know, however, that we can do it. One thing is clear to me: our mandate is not to change the mandate. Our mandate is to transform that mandate into a Treaty.
The mandate, furthermore, is clear. It is clear as to which parts of the previous Constitutional Treaty must be abandoned, as to what should be retained in the Reforming Treaty and as to what innovative new aspects should be added to the Treaty of Nice.
The best thing we can do, honourable Members, is to take advantage of the political momentum. We have to move quickly. This is why I decided to open the Intergovernmental Conference on 23 July, separately from the General Affairs and External Relations Council. On the same day, we will be distributing a draft Treaty drawn up on the basis of the detailed instructions in the mandate.
In the course of the same week we shall be holding meetings with legal experts to examine the text and identify any potential difficulties. The informal meeting of Foreign Ministers on 7 and 8 September will be used to take stock of how this is progressing. We intend to play an active role in ensuring that agreement on the Treaty can be reached during the informal European Council in Lisbon on 18 and 19 October. That is our objective and I think you will agree with me that this timetable is closest to the spirit and desire of all the European institutions and also the one that will best serve the interests of the Union.
I am relying on the European Parliament to achieve that objective. That, furthermore, is why I have argued that Parliament should have three representatives at the Intergovernmental Conference, and not two as on previous occasions, thus ensuring greater representation for this House.
For the same reason, moreover, I am also going to propose that, whenever the Intergovernmental Conference is attended by Heads of State or Government, Parliament be represented by its President.
I know I can rely on all the institutions to contribute. I am grateful to the European Commission and the Central European Bank for issuing their opinions promptly.
I am grateful to Parliament for its efforts in ensuring that its opinion could also be adopted today, thus fulfilling the necessary conditions to enable the Intergovernmental Conference to begin this month as well.
I know I can rely on the willingness and commitment of all the Member States. This is a moment of convergence when all the institutions come together so that a prompt decision on the Treaty can provide a clear sign of Europe’s confidence and determination to make progress in its project.
To this end, we make a clear commitment: we will do everything possible to transcend the period of doubts and uncertainties as to the course the European project should follow. We should like to ask all Members here, in the seat of European democracy, to support us in that common objective.
Madam President, honourable Members, the reform of the Treaties is still only one of the tasks facing the Union in the next six months and I should like, if I may, to take a few minutes to talk to you about some other extremely important issues within the Union. Apart from institutional matters, the citizens of Europe are demanding answers to questions that directly relate to their everyday lives, in which they recognise that Europe must produce practical results that make a difference and help improve their living conditions. I believe no one is in any doubt that Europe must invest further in modernisation.
Just over seven years ago, António Guterres, then Prime Minister of Portugal, came to this House to present the Lisbon Strategy. Up to now, that Strategy has been the road map for the modernisation of the European economy and society.
I therefore have particular pleasure in telling you that the ‘Lisbon Strategy’ will once again be at the heart of our plans. The strategy defined in 2000 with a view to strengthening competitiveness and social cohesion, by investing in knowledge and innovation, is still the right way forward and still has the support of the main European political forces.
What we shall be doing is actively to contribute to a new round of the Lisbon agenda, which will be adopted in the spring of 2008 during the Slovenian Presidency. We shall prepare for that new round by maintaining the balance between the three components of that agenda, namely the economic, social and environmental components.
The review of the internal market will enable us to place the accent on the business competitiveness, on opening up the markets, on eliminating context costs, and on the role the cultural industries can pay in terms of job creation, economic growth and innovation.
The next half-year will also be particularly relevant as regards political, energy and environmental options, and, on those matters, Europe can have only one objective: to continue to take the lead in environmental issues and, in particular, in the fight against climate change.
We shall therefore meet the objectives of promoting the debate on a technological plan of action for energy and the environment, and will emphasise the role of biofuels, particularly in the context of the report that emerged from the first summit meeting between the European Union and Brazil.
We wish to give the social dimension of the ‘Lisbon Strategy’ the visibility and relevance it deserves. Ten years after the launch of the ‘European Employment Strategy’, it seems essential to us to encourage a debate on the best ways of coordinating employment policies, with a view to boosting the creation of sustainable jobs in a context of global competition. This line of action pursued by the Portuguese Presidency will be closely linked with the training of human resources, the reconciliation of work and family life and the fight against poverty and exclusion.
The European social model, with its well-known diversity, requires us to reflect together on the sustainability of pension and retirement systems, and also to identify the reforms that are necessary in the labour markets and systems of protection against social risks. In that context, the aim of our debate on so-called ‘flexicurity’ should be to find integrated and balanced solutions, which should be reflected in general shared principles at European level that take account of the diverse social conditions in the various Member States.
Honourable Members, for the Portuguese Presidency, one of the basic core values of the European project lies in the interface between freedom and security. In that context, one of the Presidency’s priorities will be to strengthen police and judicial cooperation in the fight against terrorism and crime.
It is well known that Portugal was not a founder Member State of the European Communities. However, when we restored democracy in our country, in 1974, after 48 years under an authoritarian regime, our principal objective was to join the European Communities, as they were known at the time. We achieved that objective in 1986. On assuming the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Union for the third time, I would like to reassure you of the Portuguese Government’s determination and its commitment towards promoting and strengthening the values of peace, freedom, solidarity and prosperity that inspired the founder Members in 1957; those values which we, now 27 Member States and almost 500 million citizens, reaffirmed last March in Berlin.
Terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. Democracies are not afraid of terrorism and know how to stand firm in the face of that threat. If there is a good example of that firmness it was provided last week by the British Government, to which I should like to pass on a message of solidarity from all the countries in the Union.
The fight against terrorism must therefore remain a common objective for all the Member States, because only European cooperation will make it possible to prevent, protect ourselves against and combat terrorism.
The Portuguese Presidency will work to implement ongoing initiatives under the EU strategy against terrorism, the action plan to combat terrorism and the continued implementation of the strategy to prevent the radicalisation and recruitment of terrorists, which will be reviewed during the next six months.
We therefore consider it urgent to find a replacement for Mr De Vries and define the resources and the mandate that will enable his replacement to perform his or her duties effectively.
Honourable Members, history has taught us that there is no freedom without security. This is why the Union’s security policy is also essential in order to preserve the open and tolerant nature of European societies.
It is therefore a source of pride for me to say that it was Portugal that suggested, and it was also a Portuguese company that designed SIS-ONE4ALL, the technological solution whereby the new Member States could become full members of the Schengen area and whereby borders with those countries are to disappear at the end of the Portuguese Presidency.
We shall thus fulfil one of the greatest wishes of those citizens: freedom of movement of persons in Union territory.
Honourable Members, I should also like to say a few words about immigration policy. We shall give special attention to this issue during our Presidency. Europe today is an area that welcomes millions of immigrants who live, work and bring up their children here, and whose contribution is essential to European economic growth.
We must therefore draw up a European immigration policy based on prevention of illegal immigration, but also one of including and integrating legal immigrants and of effective cooperation with their countries of origin, one that can regulate migratory flows to our mutual benefit.
Only a policy effective in both the country of origin and the country of destination, one that addresses both the causes and the effects, will be capable of dealing with the scale of the phenomenon in a manner compatible with our values and responsibilities.
I am confident, honourable Members, that this half-year will see us emerge from the deadlocks and obstructions that have been holding up the European project for too long. The example of the European project is motivating many peoples and countries in various parts of the world, who are the first to ask the European Union to play a more active role in world affairs, and they have difficulty in understanding our hesitations.
Mr President, honourable Members, the current international situation is creating special responsibilities for the European Union and I should now like to speak to you about the European Union foreign policy agenda under the Portuguese Presidency. The citizens of Europe are unequivocal in their demand for us to take an active role on the international stage, based on the values of international law, mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation. Similarly the international community expects the Union to play a committed and consistent role in major international affairs.
In the second half of 2007, there are decisions on delicate world issues that cannot be put off – the future of Kosovo, the nuclear dossier on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. There is to be a series of especially important bilateral summits, with India, China, Russia and Ukraine. Relations with the United States, in the context defined by the Washington Summit, which took place under the German Presidency, will be monitored as closely as one would expect of such strategically important relations.
In all cases, we will be equal to our responsibilities as holders of the Presidency, and will work closely with Javier Solana, High Representative for External Policy, and the European Commission.
I should like to draw your attention to three initiatives with which we are closely linked and which deserve special emphasis: the EU-Brazil Summit, which has already taken place, the EU-Africa Summit and Euro-Med meetings.
In this first week of the Presidency, we have already held the Summit with Brazil with the aim of moving relations to a higher level of mutual understanding and close cooperation, at all levels. This initiative is particularly dear to the Portuguese, as we share our language and much of our culture and history with Brazil. We are seeking to create the political conditions whereby, as is happening with other emerging economic powers, a formal relationship of mutual benefit to Europe and Brazil may be created, which will in turn help us achieve the kind of relations we should like to enjoy with Latin America as a whole.
Closer ties with Brazil will also bring practical results in terms of our response to global challenges. Last week's summit with President Lula has also made it possible to keep open a window of opportunity, which we must now make the most of in the Doha Round negotiations, and we shall do everything possible to support the European Commission in that context. I am among those who take the view that the Doha Round negotiations represent an important factor in regulating globalisation and that the conclusion of the negotiations will be highly positive. This should continue to be a priority for the European institutions.
The EUROMED ministerial meetings form part of a series of negotiations, including what are known as the Barcelona Process and the New Neighbourhood Policy. These meetings serve to highlight the importance we attach to reviving the crucial political debate with our partners to the south of the Mediterranean. We share common concerns and are facing challenges relating to development and social cohesion that emphasise the growing interdependence of the two sides of the Mediterranean, and we are convinced that we can help overcome certain obstacles in essential areas such as the management of migratory flows and the potential contribution of diasporas to their countries of origin, with the support and commitment of the European countries and the relevant international institutions.
Finally, we propose to hold a second EU-Africa Summit, having been behind the previous Summit in Cairo in 2000, which, as you will recall, took place under a Portuguese Presidency. Without overlooking certain difficulties that will have to be overcome, we are convinced that there is no justification for the fact that no meeting of this kind has been held at the highest level for more than seven years, when it comes to two continents with such close historical ties and that are so interdependent in today's world.
Portugal is in a particularly good position to take on this responsibility and is very much counting on the African Union and all European and African countries to ensure that this Summit offers a chance to revive dialogue and cooperation on matters of the greatest common interest. We shall therefore take on the task of defining a new strategic partnership between the European Union and Africa aimed at sustainable development, ensuring peace, fighting endemic diseases and maintaining a balanced partnership in the management of migratory flows, to our mutual benefit.
Mr President, honourable Members, this is our agenda, which I have briefly described to you. I am aware that we are holding the Presidency at a time when the international situation is extremely delicate and that we have been ambitious in the definition of our own objectives. We know that Presidencies on their own do not resolve all the problems that arise, but we also know that we can make a difference if we adopt clear objectives, if we are humble in the way we pursue them and if we demonstrate the will to reach the necessary consensus.
I have always considered, and continue to consider, the European project as one of the noblest and most vital political projects of our times. The construction of Europe is important for the European economy, for the promotion of European values and for European citizens. Yet the construction of Europe is an equally important factor in meeting global challenges, taking advantage of the opportunities of these times of change and building a fairer, more stable and more developed world. It is not only the people of Europe who need a strong Europe; the world also needs a Europe with a proactive voice.
Many European philosophers define today's world with the prefix ‘post’ – post-democratic, post-modern or post-industrial – it is for them a ‘post’ world. All that this concept really means is that we are living in a world of change, accelerated change, and we do not yet fully understand what we see happening.
Amidst all these uncertainties and unknown factors, however, we believe one thing is certain: in a changing world the worst mistake is to stand still. That is a mistake that Europe must not make. Honourable Members, our firm proposal is to ensure that Europe does not stand still and to advance the European project in the cause of creating a better world.
Mr President, honourable Members, I think you will agree with me that the success of a Presidency always depends on the clarity of its programme. Our priorities for the next six months are clearly defined: the reform of the Treaties, an agenda for modernising Europe’s economies and societies and the strengthening of the role of Europe in the world.
The biggest challenge, of course, lies in pursuing the process of reforming the Treaties, on the basis of the mandate adopted at the last European Council. I have pleasure in commending to you the merits of the strategy and negotiations conducted by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, whom we have consistently supported throughout the last six months. I would also like to acknowledge with gratitude the clear positions adopted by Parliament in the Resolution it adopted on the basis of the Barón Crespo-Brok report, which led to an agreement which was reached between the Member States that preserved the core objectives of the Constitutional Treaty and which incorporated the signals given by the French and Dutch referendums.
The progress that was made at the last Europe Council was only possible as a result of the impetus it was given by the European Parliament, which has always maintained a strong, consistent and constructive position in that respect, and never resigned itself to the deadlock at the time.
The agreement reached at the 21 and 22 June European Council took the form of a clear and precise mandate, as Portugal has always considered necessary. We are now in a position to move forward."@en1
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