Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-13-Speech-1-144"
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"en.20060213.13.1-144"2
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".
Mr President, the European Commission welcomes the own-initiative report of the European Parliament on the effects of globalisation on the internal market and thanks everyone involved, in particular the rapporteurs Mrs Herczog and Mr Markov, as well as the members of the IMCO and INTA Committees, for the good work undertaken in putting this report together. I know that it was not an easy task as the issue of globalisation is an extremely complex one.
It was also very useful to organise a hearing on the matter. I appreciated the opportunity to speak about the way I see the challenges, and to hear directly what Members of Parliament and stakeholders had to say. The result is a very balanced and comprehensive report, one which addresses the key challenges in a succinct way. The report is a timely contribution to an important debate. Europe needs to find appropriate responses to today’s key challenges: the steadily increasing forces of global competition, the impact of new technologies and our ageing population.
As international integration accelerates, the concept of open markets and a globalising economy have come under attack. Of course, there are legitimate concerns about globalisation. There have to be proper structures, which can help developing and emerging economies in particular. There is also a clear need for appropriate forms of governance. However, there are those who abuse these arguments to try to undermine the whole concept of economic freedom. I am not denying that many industries go through difficult and sometimes painful transitions. But it does no good to try to shift the balance elsewhere – foreign takeovers, cheap imports, and migrant workers.
Protectionism is not the answer. It never was historically – it only ever led to great tensions between nations – and it is not now. Comparing the degree of openness of economic systems with economic growth and development will show that openness pays. It always has done and it always will. For people first. With jobs. With thriving businesses. By releasing human energies, not capping or constraining them.
I am very glad that in its report the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, as well as the Committee on International Trade, which has given an opinion, takes a constructive and balanced approach towards globalisation. As the report says, we can make globalisation a success if we provide the right conditions, and if we focus on our strengths. And we do not need to be modest about this. Europe has a lot to offer.
We must make sure that Europe and the internal market remain an attractive place for consumers and businesses; an attractive place to invest, particularly for research and innovation activities in high-value products and services, where our businesses excel. This requires a strong, knowledge-based and properly regulated internal market, using the experience we have gained and the lessons we have learned. This is Europe’s best response to its domestic problems of low economic growth and high unemployment, but also to the challenge of globalisation.
Priorities in this context are: an effective implementation of the new Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs; the completion of the internal market, including for services, telecoms, energy, and financial services; ensuring simple and effective regulation, which frees businesses and citizens from unnecessary costs and red tape; and making better use of the existing internal market framework, which includes better administrative cooperation across borders. Most of the relevant work is already under way, and it is important that all players, at the EU level and at Member State level, do everything to make it happen.
As the report quite rightly stresses, globalisation also has a strong external dimension for internal market policy-making. We need to be much more outward-looking than in the past and to be aware of the external aspects of our internal economic policies, such as our internal market rules. Nothing is simply domestic any more. We need more international regulatory convergence and equivalence of rules. This is particularly important in the area of financial markets, which are leading the way in globalisation. Furthermore, Europe must use its scale to help deliver ambitious and balanced solutions to problems of market access or regulatory issues. A successful conclusion of the Doha Round, including on services, is a key element in this respect. Everyone will benefit!
Last but not least, we need a new partnership of the EU and Member States. Neither can deliver on their own to ensure that Europe remains the attractive place that it still is. I am confident that the report of the European Parliament will contribute significantly to this important wider discussion on Europe in the globalised world."@en1
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