Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-02-14-Speech-1-092-000"
Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
---|---|
rdf:type | |
dcterms:Date | |
dcterms:Is Part Of | |
dcterms:Language | |
lpv:document identification number |
"en.20110214.14.1-092-000"2
|
lpv:hasSubsequent | |
lpv:speaker | |
lpv:spokenAs | |
lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the European Union is founded on values such as equality, solidarity and respect for all languages. We all share these principles.
As Spanish Members, we support the idea of having a patents system for the whole of the European Union, and I congratulate my colleague, Mr Lehne, on that part of the report. We support anything that improves and expands the internal market.
However, for such an important matter, a course has been chosen that is provided for in the Treaty – enhanced cooperation – which should be the last resort and fulfil a series of conditions. In our view, enhanced cooperation, on which we will vote tomorrow, is contrary to Articles 118 and 326 of the Treaty. Moreover, I believe that in the Council, the rules of the game have been changed, but my government will deal with that.
The new Treaty is an unquestionably useful tool for the EU, but it cannot be used to establish a multi-speed Europe. Many countries that currently support enhanced cooperation will soon suffer the consequences themselves and, if the Council and the Commission continue to use enhanced cooperation in this way, ultimately we will all lose.
Spanish is spoken by 850 million people. Out of the three languages proposed by the European Commission for the patents system, only one of them is comparable to Spanish in terms of size. What criteria were used? Efficiency? Are we talking about EUR 1 850? Then why not use only English and leave the other two languages, so we will also save by doing it three times rather than 20 times. Is it about timing?
It was not Spain that opposed a patent in the past, it was other countries, which are now rushing to have one. Is it to do with politics, as I suspect? Care should be taken with bureaucratic manoeuvres that distance millions of citizens – and thousands of businesses that use Spanish – from the reality of the European Union.
The system proposed by the Commission is contrary to the right of Europeans to express themselves in their language, it prioritises one language over others, it is clear discrimination against competition, it fragments the market and creates legal uncertainty. This battle has only just begun. Due to the haste of some, we are going to be faced with a legal action lasting several years in the Court of Justice, as my government has already said.
The three institutions will have to give an account of the procedure followed and of why the warnings were ignored. This situation can be remedied if we return to the spirit and the letter of the treaties, which Spain has respected."@en1
|
lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples