Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-05-Speech-2-206"
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"en.20090505.22.2-206"2
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"Mr President, President-in-Office of the Council, President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, the European Council, which will bring the Czech Presidency to an end, is still looking fairly vague as regards both date and content. Today’s task is therefore a difficult one, but it is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our priorities as we reach the end of this parliamentary term. The first job of the European Council in June will be to nominate the new President of the European Commission, pursuant to the results of the European elections.
As was the case in 2004, the Council Presidency will be invited to choose a candidate from the main European Parliamentary group, to hold this important position, and it will then fall to our Parliament on 15
July to voice its opinion on this choice, which will constitute one of the first major political actions of the new parliamentary term.
Ladies and gentlemen, the public often complains that Europe has no face. We want to give Europe a face, by putting an end to the system of a rotating Presidency, and thus providing a stable European Council. The Treaty of Lisbon stipulates this move, which would be a positive development. However, since the Commission Presidency has a five-year term, Europe already has a face that everybody knows, and the President of the European Parliament, for its part, embodies the voice of 500 million citizens. The June European Council will take place within the legal framework of the Treaty of Nice, and it seems that certain Member States will be tempted to wait for the Treaty of Lisbon before making any institutional decisions, and, notably, before nominating the President of the Commission.
It is also unfortunate that we do not yet know if and when the Treaty of Lisbon will come into force, and we clearly need to bring it into force without further hesitation. Did we defer the European elections because the Treaty of Lisbon would have been more popular within the European Parliament? No, we did not, and our group is awaiting a clear message from the Council as soon as possible, regarding its intentions on this institutional matter.
Similarly, the Members of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats sincerely hope that the vote in the Czech Senate, expected tomorrow, will clear the way for the forthcoming ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by the country holding the Council Presidency. That would be a fantastic present for the 1 July, Mr Vondra.
I would also like to say how much we appreciate the manner in which you led the work of the Parliament over the first few months of this Presidency, in a difficult situation, with the energy crisis between Russia and Ukraine, and of course, the financial crisis. You also highlighted the importance of the continuity of European politics, and demonstrated the importance of unity between our countries with regard to our relationships with our main partners, during the European – US Summit in Prague with Barack Obama. I hope that the Czech Presidency ends in as positive and constructive a spirit as it began. The credibility of the European Union is at stake.
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the European Council will naturally also debate the latest developments in the economic crisis, and the measures implemented at Europe’s request in order to clean up international financial systems. I should like to commend the European Commission’s latest proposals in this regard, and particularly with regard to severance agreements, bonuses paid to traders or speculative funds. These are all measures that are heading in the right direction, by imposing rules on the financial markets, in order to help us to get back on track towards growth and employment as soon as possible. These are all measures that highlight once again that those who, often by demagogy, accuse the Commission and the European Union of paralysis or weakness are mistaken, and deceive our fellow citizens.
When this Presidency draws to a close, giving way to the Swedish Presidency, Europeans will express their views through the European elections, and I hope that the choices they make will help us to collectively take on the important commitments that await us."@en1
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