Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-02-05-Speech-2-264"
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"en.20020205.12.2-264"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, I have no hesitation in adding to those words of thanks that have gone to Commissioner Monti and Mr Rapkay, as rapporteur. State aid granted on a large scale, often for shortsighted reasons, has for a long time been a strain on the purse of the European taxpayer and has slowed down the reorganisation of the economic structures of our Member States. Although aid granted by Member States might be justified in particularly exceptional circumstances, large amounts of aid and various tax concessions distort competition and go against the principles of the single market. For that reason, reductions in state aid and effective monitoring strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy and thus boost economic growth and the creation of jobs. At the Stockholm European Council the Member States renewed their commitment to reduce state aid as a proportion of GNP. There was also a promise to redirect state aid to horizontal objectives that benefited the Union as a whole. This commitment must be kept to.
According to the general survey we are now dealing with, a decline in state aid was achieved in the period 1997 – 1999. We cannot, however, be satisfied with the progress made up to the present day. We in Parliament have time and time again called for action that would guarantee greater transparency in this area. The Member States still do not have any monitoring instrument that can be compared to the state agency monitoring that is conducted at Community level. Data on state aid is still provided only in the form of total sums. To make an accurate analysis possible we need more detailed information on the use aid is put to and the sectors and companies that receive aid.
Like many of my colleagues before me, I also take a very positive view of the Commission’s announcement that a state aid register and scoreboard is to be introduced. I also urge the Commission to continue with its earlier policy of reorganising the Union’s economic and production structures, especially with regard to sector- and case-specific state aid. In this respect I agree fully with what my colleague, Mrs Riis-Jørgensen, said about the shipbuilding industry, which is also a major sector from the point of view of Finland, my country. There has been good progress made recently in that area by the Council.
If Europe is to become the world’s most competitive economic area, it will mean giving up the practices of old. It is clear, however, that new and permanent jobs will not be created by trying to maintain dilapidated structures."@en1
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