Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-11-Speech-2-162"
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".
Mr President, I would like to thank you all for this long but stimulating debate. The vast majority of the comments have rightly paid tribute to this excellent report and to the work of the co-rapporteurs. Hopefully, it will receive the overwhelming support of this House tomorrow.
The speeches this morning from Members in the new Member States have illustrated the historic value of the European project and the principles and values that it guarantees. Whether we need a bigger boat, a larger bus or a larger dress size, we all recognise that we have a sense of responsibility. I look forward to joining you in that debate.
I am conscious that this report and the Constitution need to be put into historical perspective. This is the first time that the European Parliament has not had a list of regrets about the result of an Intergovernmental Conference, and we can ask one of the veterans in this kind of work about this. If I compare this report to the Planas, Méndez de Vigo and Tsatsos reports, for example, it is the most positive assessment of the outcome of an Intergovernmental Conference.
I share the views of those calling for a wide and honest debate. Without debate we do not have a democracy and, without debate, we do not get closer to the truth. It is therefore our responsibility to provide examples of how the Constitution will affect the daily lives of European citizens.
The word 'perfect' has been mentioned. I have been a Commissioner for only five years and I have not yet seen the 'perfect' document. If you look around, how could we find a perfect document? We will have to continue to compromise because we are 25 Member States with different traditions, languages, political decision-making procedures and views. We will have to show the will and the capability to compromise. This
a compromise and it will have to be a compromise.
The words used this morning are worth recalling. Most of them are politically loaded – positively or negatively. Many have mentioned rights, democracy, openness, effectiveness and values. Mr Méndez de Vigo reminded us this morning that the Constitution is the unique opportunity to guarantee the values of the Union. We are united in our diversity but with a set of fundamental and social rights that brings us together. These are the values we guarantee not just for us but for our children.
Others have attempted to describe the Constitution as resulting in a European superstate, a loss of national sovereignty, or a weakening of the role of the national parliaments. They have already received a reply from Mr Corbett.
While I expect that we should have to provide concrete facts and examples of the benefits of the Constitution as compared to the Treaty of Nice, I also expect that those talking about national sovereignty or national parliaments should provide some facts. Has the role of national parliaments been weakened? Is it possible to sneak through a European law without supervision by the Member States or national parliaments? We have to be able to respond to those questions. Let us work on the basis of facts and the text of the Constitution. This should be made accessible to our citizens in all the Member States, not just scare stories or misconceptions.
We also have to ensure that we are ready for the entry into force of the Constitution when it is ratified by all Member States. We will shoulder our responsibilities and so must the Member States. It is not enough to hope that adoption in one Member State will lead to automatic acceptance in the next country. That is why in the Council I have pushed so strongly for proper national strategies to be developed.
As Mr Brok has indicated, preparatory work has already begun on the entry into force of the Constitution and the European external action service that will assist the European Minister for Foreign Affairs. We are not exactly jumping ahead, but we have to start to be prepared. We cannot simply wait and let another two years go by before we can implement the provisions. We will have to prepared in the best possible way and find the right balance. I agree that we must ensure respect for the text of the Constitution."@en1
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