Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-24-Speech-3-009"
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"en.20080924.4.3-009"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this morning we are debating the legislative and work programme of the Commission for the coming year, 2009, which is an election year. Next year, a new Parliament will be elected and there will be a new Commission. No one's position is certain: not that of the Commissioners and not even that of the Commission President, who is unfortunately unable to be here this morning to present his programme in person.
During any election year, it is always a temptation to do right by all our voters, assuming, that is, that we know what they want, or at least what they should want. The question, then, is this: how should the European Union present itself to Europe's citizens in the coming year? Like all politicians, our task is to try to respond to citizens' concerns. The European Union has an outstanding opportunity to do this. We have many possible ways of responding to people's needs and concerns.
Peace has been a fundamental concern throughout human history, and the European Union has safeguarded peace in Europe for many decades. We are able to find answers to external threats, such as international terrorism or the conduct of large neighbouring countries which occasionally trample the rules of international law under foot. We can make a contribution to ensuring that Europe has a secure and sustainable energy supply, while doing what we can to protect the climate. We can safeguard social security and justice in Europe by unleashing the growth potential of our successful European economy, and we can safeguard innovation and the competitiveness of the European economy, with the associated opportunity to create and safeguard jobs. Europe can become a haven of security in a changing world. My colleagues will have more to say about the finer points of detail on many of these issues shortly.
What are the prerequisites for successful action in the European Union? I would like to mention two in particular: firstly, we need appropriate institutional bases, and that certainly means the Treaty of Lisbon. This Treaty will create more transparency and more democracy and enhance the EU's capacity to act, thus enabling it to perform its functions more effectively. We can only appeal to the citizens of Ireland to reconsider their position on this Treaty. I share many of the criticisms levelled at the European Union, but we cannot ignore the fact that this Treaty provides sound solutions to many of these points of criticism. Thus the Treaty of Lisbon is vital.
Secondly, however, we also need the backing of Europe's citizens, which has declined to an alarming extent. That became apparent from the referenda in France, the Netherlands and, not least, in Ireland. It is not about whether we need more or less Europe, as I recently had the opportunity to say to the Commission President. The real issue is where we need Europe, and where we do not. That needs to be decided. If I may cite an example – and I admit that this is my very favourite example – soil protection is not something that we need to deal with at European level. Soil protection makes work, but it does not create jobs. That is why Europe will be successful and will generate support if it acts where Community action is undoubtedly required, and where action at European level can achieve more than action at national level.
The Commission would therefore be well-advised, in my view, to attach greater importance to the issue of subsidiarity in its action during the coming year. That will boost Europe's acceptance and we will probably all be re-elected by more of Europe's citizens than was the case at the last election."@en1
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