Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-01-18-Speech-2-046"
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"en.20000118.2.2-046"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner Monti, there is much that is good in Mr Jonckheer’s report on state aid for manufacturing industry and certain other sectors. First of all the report reveals Parliament’s single-minded determination to reduce state aid to ensure that the internal market functions flawlessly.
Many of the report’s conclusions, however, are cause for concern, at least for our group. For example, the fact that the amount and level of state aid calculated on a per capita basis vary considerably from Member State to Member State reveals the need for surveys such as this. Aid that is based on the self-seeking ambitions of a nation gives companies unfair advantages, thus distorting competition and leading to an ineffective, uneconomic division of Europe’s meagre resources. The form the aid takes is important. Forms of state aid that require an effort from the beneficiary are to be supported. For example, state guarantees, on which the Commission has just publicised its position, must naturally be considered state aid, but they are, in my opinion, a better option than granting aid directly to companies.
The report on competition policy further stresses the Commission’s confidence in hard and fast rules instead of putting the emphasis on economic arguments regarding efficiency, which affects competitiveness. The European economy will never achieve the level of competitiveness desired if we do not show we trust in the markets. If competition policy is to be made subordinate to the aims of social and environmental policy, real efficiency and economic growth will remain just a dream. Competition policy has to be seen as part of the whole of the economy and it must be assessed with reference to trade policy and non-material rights: we should not just be emphasising its social dimension. The aims of social policy can be best realised through stronger economic growth, not by making compromises with regard to decisions on competition policy.
Mr Rapkay’s report also emphasises the importance of the international dimension with regard to competition law. In my opinion, it would be good if we could achieve consensus at the international level regarding certain basic principles of competition law. Aiming instead at harmonised minimum standards will easily lead to a situation where we leap over the lowest hurdle and end up with the lowest common denominator, which will water down all the aims of competition policy."@en1
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