Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-12-15-Speech-1-178"
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"en.20081215.17.1-178"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are taking a big step towards an internal market for defence-related products. At the same time, though, we are not taking away the right of the Member States to make their own decisions regarding their export policies in this sensitive sector. This is the only possible solution for a very difficult matter, and I would specifically like to thank the rapporteur, Mrs Rühle, for her hard and efficient work. I am also grateful to the shadow rapporteurs, who can take considerable credit for today’s success.
I would also like to extend my thanks to the French and Slovenian Presidencies, who ensured that the negotiations in the Council made such rapid progress: it truly is remarkable that we have managed to adopt such a difficult proposal in less than a year – as early as today.
Who would have believed, ten years ago, when the Commission first raised the idea of an internal market for defence-related products, that they would actually manage it? I do not think that many people believed it, but our perseverance has paid off. We are on the verge of a breakthrough: the Member States will no longer regard other Member States as third countries for the purposes of arms exports, but as partners, which will be a clear and politically important declaration on European integration.
The economic importance of this is also not to be underestimated. Taxpayers’ money will in future be used more efficiently, because specialisation will take the place of the currently customary duplication of work, which is more expensive. Our industry will be more competitive at international level: this applies particularly to small and medium-sized enterprises, which will find it easier to access this market thanks to the clearer, more predictable rules.
Finally, the Member States’ armed forces will also have greater security of supply and greater choice in the quality of their weaponry – quite easily, if they can buy within the European Union, which should be an incentive to purchase European goods rather than looking outside Europe.
Lastly, I am also expecting that we will all gain in terms of security. We are making real savings on intra-Community checks, which will give the Member States additional resources to step up checks on exports to third countries. I would reiterate what Mr Rühle just said regarding current practice, and I entirely agree with her that more checks are needed in this connection. Many people have worked very hard to achieve this result, and today we have achieved it together. I am much obliged to all of you for that."@en1
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