Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-24-Speech-3-020"
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"en.20030924.1.3-020"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, over the past few days we have seen our Heads of State or Government go up, one by one, to the platform at the United Nations, but Europe has not. I think that this image is enough to avoid long debates and, above all, to say what this Constitution lacks.
This Constitution is, without a doubt, the result of laborious institutional
difficult to explain and even more difficult to understand and, as a result, little liked. It is a complicated work, complex and, I fear, ineffectual. There are indisputable improvements as regards the internal sectors relating to the citizens of Europe or to our lives – those sectors that have been defined as collateral – but the issue that this Constitution does not address or resolve is defining the role, the responsibility, the resources and the procedures necessary to make Europe not only what it is already – a great economic power – but also what it should be, namely a responsible political player on the world stage.
We did not even attempt to respond to this. The Constitution conveys the image of an introverted Europe, of an inward-looking Europe, which is, of course, concerned about the well-being of its own citizens but is not giving itself structures, procedures, commitments or anything at all to help it discharge its responsibilities – which it does have – beyond its borders.
We are not even giving ourselves the instruments to respond to this need for Europe, this appeal to Europe, this demand for Europe – that is so strong in so many parts of the world, from the near east to the southern shores of the Mediterranean – to this need for European values, to be a partner in essentially fairer development which is based more on human, civil and political rights. We condemn ourselves with this Constitution to always and in all cases being towed along by others – grumbling, of course. It is all too easy, but, above all, I think it goes against the spirit and goals of Europe and, in particular, our duties as Europeans towards peoples that, even although not European, are our neighbours.
Ladies and gentlemen, as a longstanding and ever more convinced federalist, for the sake of political realism, for love of the Europe that should be able to draw strength from its own successes to promote other successes, at least in neighbouring countries, I believe that this Constitution is a lost opportunity; an opportunity lost that others will suffer for. It may be that we Europeans will improve our standard of living, but others will suffer for our small-minded actions, our great mediocrity, precisely because we have decided to remain merely a great economic power. That is not enough. This is not what being European means, at least not for me!"@en1
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