Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-26-Speech-3-018"
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"en.20050126.6.3-018"2
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".
Mr President, as Jean Monnet once said ‘each man begins the world afresh and only institutions grow wiser’. President Barroso, you now represent the collective experience of the European Commission. You will have to draw quickly on the collective wisdom of its services and enrich the European experience, in tandem with the European Parliament as a partner in Europe’s growth and prosperity.
Mr Barroso, I believe your priorities reflect those of the majority of this House, which believes that we cannot build a house on unstable foundations. If we want a prosperous Europe, a Europe of sustainable development, a Europe that can fight poverty at home and abroad and a Europe able to project its values around the globe, then we must begin by securing a strong and viable economy where businesses and innovation can flourish. If Europe is to have meaning for its citizens, then we have to establish practical and tangible priorities. There is a danger, as we have witnessed with the Lisbon Agenda, that in attempting to do too many things in too many fields we achieve little of substance and leave the European people unable to see the wood for the trees.
You are right to underpin your objectives with a push for better communication and better information. This should have been done a long time ago. We have allowed the persistent drip of half-truths and myths propagated by nationalists to poison the minds of too many of our fellow citizens. This year of referendums on the Constitution must be a rallying cry to all those who believe in the European project, for this is not about ratifying a text that people have not read, it is about whether Europe’s citizens still believe strongly enough in what the European Union stands for.
You outline four objectives. First, prosperity. The Lisbon Agenda holds the key to your success, and if you can deliver prosperity and growth through improved competitiveness and knowledge-sharing then we can all partake of the dividends. Liberals and Democrats hope to see improvements to and a more intelligent application of the Stability and Growth Pact that underpins the euro. Ultimately, however, our growth and prosperity also depends on implementation at national level of the key structural reforms.
Second, you talked about solidarity – the flip side of the coin. Without that we have no Europe. A prosperous economy is a means to an end, but not an end in itself. European history is anchored in its commitment to solidarity and cohesion, to judicious management of natural resources and respect for common values and cultural diversity. We have to improve both the effectiveness and the accountability of our Structural Funds. Since there are good reasons why we cannot afford to be parsimonious in our future budgetary planning, Liberals and Democrats will fully support a costed and justified budget for the Union for the next five years.
Security is a matter of common concern, with the tentacles of international terrorism having made themselves felt from Manhattan to Madrid. If we do not find an adequate response to such threats, then the pillars of freedom on which our Union rests will begin to crumble. However, we must not go overboard in attempting to deal with security threats that are often intangible. We need a much wider debate on the balance between security and civic freedoms and I welcome the Commission’s proposals on immigration and asylum, which will be instrumental in steering a discussion based on justice and honesty, rather than pandering to fear and scaremongering.
Finally, let us have ambitions for the wider world that are based not on imposition by military force but on the projection of soft force – of political dialogue, exchange, economic incentives and sanctions, humanitarian relief and trade agreements. You must deploy all of those tools in a coherent strategy that rewards good governance, punishes tyranny and shows care for the global environment.
President Barroso, your task is not an easy one. The hopes and futures of Europe’s citizens rest in your hands. I shall end with another quotation from Jean Monnet, who stated in his memoirs that ‘a great statesman is one who can work for long-term goals which eventually suit situations as yet unforeseen’.
President Barroso, you have set us long-term goals and we trust you will earn the reputation of a great statesman in delivering them."@en1
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", on behalf of the ALDE Group"1
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