Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-23-Speech-2-272"
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"en.20030923.7.2-272"2
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".
Mr President, I wish to thank all the Members concerned for participating in this useful and interesting debate, and for the constructive position they have taken.
I consider this exercise to be an excellent example of how the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission can work together constructively on consumer policy issues. I trust that the vote will confirm the orientations set out today.
I hope that other consumer issues pending before this Parliament can also, in due course, be resolved with equal skill and constructive spirit.
I personally feel that the codecision process has resulted in significant improvements to this decision. The compromise amendments proposed have reaped the benefit of the combined expertise of all three institutions. The Commission can accept this compromise package, consisting of Amendments Nos 1, 2, 12, 14, 15, 22, 23 and 29 up to and including 59.
As far as Amendment No 52 is concerned, the Commission notes the Parliament’s wish and the Council’s unanimous agreement that there should be a three-month deadline for decision-making on grant applications. We are committed to reducing the time taken for such decisions to the absolute minimum and will work towards this deadline. Nevertheless, the Commission wishes to remind Parliament of the importance of not deviating from the imperatives of proper evaluation and the full respect of rules on financial and budget management.
In response to the comments from Mrs Gutiérrez-Cortines and Mr Rod on regional organisations, I should say that I am fully aware of the important role played by regional consumer organisations in certain EU countries. Their proximity to consumer concerns makes them an interesting partner for implementing the policy objectives of EU consumer policy. Regional consumer organisations are eligible for grants for specific projects and can also benefit from the capacity-building actions we offer to consumer organisations. For example, the training courses we offer to consumer organisations to help improve their managerial capacity and the contribution of consumer representatives to EU policy development are open to the staff of regional consumer organisations. Specific projects that promote the objectives of EU policy at regional level are eligible for cofinancing from the EU budget. I very much hope that regional consumer organisations will make good use of such opportunities.
In response to Mrs Thors' question regarding the integration of consumer issues in other policies, I want to stress that the integration of consumer interests into all relevant EU policies is enshrined in Article 153 of the Treaty. It should be pursued by all Commission services and by all EU institutions. We have been making progress on this issue. In the important debate about services of general interest, that followed the adoption of the Commission Green Paper, consumer interests are amongst the core issues on the table. We hope that the progress achieved so far - in air transport, for example, with the charter on passenger rights and the denied boarding regulation - will serve as a reference for the improvement of passenger rights in other modes of transport.
Actions in this proposal for a decision that will contribute to the integration objectives are many; to name but a few: actions to provide consumer organisations with the technical and legal expertise to effectively contribute to policy development in EU policy areas relevant to consumers, and actions to collect data that provide an evidence base for the integration of consumer interests into other EU policies.
On the question of comitology raised by Mrs Thors, I would like to say that since 1999 the Consultative Committee of the Member States has advised the Commission, in particular concerning the attribution of grants. It makes a useful contribution to coordinating EU and national policies for project grants. In addition, this Committee will become the essential forum for discussion and advice on the implementation of a new type of action - those that are jointly financed by the Community budget and the Member States. These joint actions will in particular be used for the Commission's future activities in the area of administrative and enforcement cooperation and to consolidate the existing networks of European Consumer Centres and the Extra-Judicial network.
The Committee, therefore, has a key role to play in the implementation of the proposed framework. I took full note when Mr Bushill-Matthews said that he will be watching me: that, of course, is his job and that of Parliament. We are accountable to Parliament and Parliament is of course accountable to the elected Members. I noted that Mr Bushill-Matthews also said that next time he will fire live rounds. I suppose that means that up until now he has been firing blanks!
To conclude, my special gratitude goes to Mr Whitehead, who has proved a master in negotiating at a high level to achieve a compromise with the Council. I take note of what he said in relation to us nourishing our children rather than devouring them. Of course you will realise, Mr Whitehead, that this proposal is not a modest proposal: it is quite a substantial proposal. Your reference to my fellow countryman points to the title 'A Modest Proposal', which, of course, is inappropriate in this instance."@en1
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