Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-08-Speech-3-042"
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"en.20081008.14.3-042"2
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"Madam President, the current financial crisis is not just affecting banks and investors. Manufacturers, retailers, importers and exporters are all finding it more difficult to get the working capital they need, and there is a real risk that the major trade slowdown may intensify. So maintaining the free flow of goods – not just within Europe but also to and from the developing world, as President Barroso has just said – is therefore of particular concern.
That is why – and this is the first of my two related points – the rapid appointment of a new trade Commissioner is so important at this time. Colleagues in the House may recall that we all supported Peter Mandelson across most parties and delegations at the time of his appointment. Even the British Conservatives supported him. I would hope that this may yet be the case with his successor, but I should share with the House that a number of colleagues from different delegations have already raised real concerns about her apparent lack of experience for the important trade portfolio.
So I strongly suggest that it would be in her interest, as well as ours, for her hearing to be brought forward from 10 November, if at all possible. One month is a long time to wait and a long time for further doubts to develop. There is another reason: I have just been passed an e-mail saying that the Transatlantic Economic Council, scheduled for 16 October, has had to be postponed because the outgoing Commissioner has ‘outgone’ and the incoming Commissioner has yet to be confirmed. So please can we get the show on the road. It is all our interests.
My second point concerns SMEs, a point passionately mentioned by my good friend and colleague, Joseph Daul. When the Council talks about the big picture, please can they talk about the little picture as well? I noticed the other day that the end of August was the closure date for consultation on the Late Payments Directive. I think that timing was unfortunate. Whatever companies may have said up until the end of August, they would have a more powerful message now. Could I please ask for that consultation period to be reopened just for a further couple of months, because I think the fresh message about the lack of working capital is something that we really ought to take on board. I am not convinced that a Late Payments Directive review would solve the problem, but I do think this sort of analysis would contribute to an understanding of the problem."@en1
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