Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-11-23-Speech-2-465"
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"en.20101123.38.2-465"2
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"Mr President, Mr Barroso, Mr Šefčovič, I believe that we can support much of the content of this programme, Mr Barroso. However, you will, I am sure, understand if we look at the more critical points today, where we want to see more being done. We live in a Europe which is increasingly under the influence of anti-European forces that are fighting against the institutions of the European Union. We need to consider carefully what materials and methods we can use to oppose them. I will come back to this point later on.
The first issue is growth policy. Mr Barroso, it is right that we must regulate the financial markets and put safety nets in place. However, we must also somehow return to the situation that you have often clearly described, in other words, to what we understand by green growth or green jobs and the restructuring of the economy. Mr Oettinger has recently published a series of documents on energy policy which involved huge investments. Unfortunately, the documents do not explain how these investments are to be financed. We must emerge from this crisis with an active growth policy in place. I am wondering where in the energy sector or the transport sector, for example, investments of this kind can be made in order to bring about green growth or create green jobs. We simply do not have enough.
My second point concerns the internal market. You are right, Mr Barroso. The concept of the internal market must be made public. You have proposed several reports based on Professor Monti’s work. He was very critical of the social dimension of the internal market in particular. More needs to happen in this area. Most importantly, we are waiting for concrete proposals from you concerning the Posting of Workers Directive. We must make it clear in the interests of the workers that this directive must not be used to create cheap labour. Its purpose is to improve social welfare.
My third point relates to tax policy. We believe that the proposals made in this area are too weak. As we have just seen in the debate on Ireland, certain countries must not be allowed to set lower tax rates in order to attract businesses and then, when they get into financial difficulties, to call on other countries to finance their budget deficits, if I can put this in such a simplistic way. Tax harmonisation is necessary to a certain degree, for example, minimum rates of corporation tax. I believe that we need to make progress in this area. I know that you have difficulties with many Member States, but I believe it is essential, in particular, when it comes to social issues. The divide between rich and poor is unacceptable and we must introduce new proposals, particularly in the interests of women, who are especially hard hit by poverty.
Finally, you have spoken about citizens’ concerns, Mr Barroso. This is a very important issue. However, the way in which we present what we do – and this concerns you as well as Parliament – is also important. Many people do not realise that, in the case of a large number of issues, all that we do is to issue incomprehensible press releases about our work. We must work together to explain what we do more effectively. The citizens’ initiative will soon be starting. Its opponents will exploit it and use it against Europe. We must make sure that the citizens’ initiative helps to support and develop Europe."@en1
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