Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-06-Speech-3-431"
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"en.20090506.41.3-431"2
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"Mr President, you said that you would propose to the Conference of Presidents and to the Bureau that we summarise the five reports and the essential explanations in a booklet. This is an excellent idea and one that I can only welcome. I would recommend that we also include the Corbett/Méndez de Vigo report, which was the basis for our work on the Treaty of Lisbon. At that time, we had 500 votes in favour, which was a record result. It is part of the process. It was the starting point for this attempt, after the Constitutional Treaty, to get the Reform Treaty in place. I find the idea very good. You have our full support.
You have already thanked a few who are unfortunately no longer with us. I can safely say that all the members of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs have worked well together. We have always been a committee with strong participation. At this juncture I thank once again those who are currently present in the Chamber. First, I thank Johannes Voggenhuber, a veritable cornerstone of our work for democracy and civil rights. Sylvia Kaufmann, who has already been mentioned on a number of occasions, has been particularly effective in expressing her opinion in the face of a great deal of resistance in her political environment. Carlos Carnero González was always with us. He fought for the Constitution and also for the referendum in Spain. Assunção Esteves was always very active. Alain Lamassoure has achieved an enormous amount, including for the Constitution. And, last but not least – although she is not a member of the Committee – Catherine Guy-Quint. She has done substantial work in the Committee on Budgets and always supported the idea of Parliament being given more responsibilities and more rights. I thank you all. I have mentioned those present today who will not be with us next time. We promise to continue their work.
As spokesperson for the Socialist Group in the European Parliament I wish to make two more comments on the reports. As regards the Kaufmann report, we have always argued that the Citizens’ Initiative is neither a placebo nor an alibi, but a serious constitutional instrument, with which the citizens can put issues on the agenda in Brussels. I believe that, when the Citizens’ Initiative is implemented, we will ensure that it remains so. The Commission should exercise its right of initiative and draft a bill very soon after the reorganisation.
As regards the Dehaene report, I would once again like to mention the transitional period. We want the spirit of Lisbon to be present during the consultations for the Council proposal for the new Commission President. But the entire College of Commissioners, including the President, will not be confirmed until the treaty comes into force. We will in effect vote twice on the President of the Commission. It is important to remember that. It is simply what the transitional period entails. I think that the programme Mr Dehaene has produced for the legislative period is very good. The starting point is the citizens’ vote at the European elections, followed by all staffing decisions, political programmes and the financing of the European Union. The starting position is the vote of the sovereign states, of the citizens in the European Union. I find that really good. Thank you, Mr Dehaene."@en1
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