Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-10-07-Speech-3-057"
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"en.20091007.17.3-057"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, with their frank and resounding ‘yes’ last Friday, the Irish not only said ‘yes’ to the Treaty of Lisbon; above all, they said ‘yes’ to Europe as an area of solidarity and shared values. They expressed their deep attachment to a Europe that influences globalisation without suffering it, a Europe that shares with its partners its choice of society and its choice of a social market economy.
The time has come for Europe to set institutional questions aside and dedicate itself to what really matters to the 500 million Europeans: the social market economy, energy, the climate and security.
My thanks to Mr Reinfeldt and Mr Barroso for their proposals. You can count on the PPE to help work progress quickly.
On behalf of the PPE, I am delighted at this vote, which shows that, when a nation is consulted on what really matters, such as the principle of belonging to the European Union, it replies to the question put to it and does so with conviction.
On Friday, our Irish friends answered the question of whether they were in favour of the Treaty of Lisbon and, if not, whether they were prepared to question their country’s membership of the European Union. They gave an unequivocal and resounding yes to this question. That proves just one thing: that Europe is seen for what it is, namely a protective element, a reassuring zone of stability, peace and the rule of law.
I believe that the Irish vote will have an important impact on the way in which we build Europe, especially in the months to come, inasmuch as it proves the deep attachment of our peoples to the values which Europe represents. The Irish vote encourages us in our European action and, at the same time, it links us. It encourages us, because this is the first time in a long time that a European nation has expressed with such force its will to participate in the European adventure despite – or rather because of – the crisis. It also links us, inasmuch as we have an obligation to satisfy the demand for solidarity which was largely behind the Irish ‘yes’.
This is precisely, to come back to the European institutions, what the Treaty of Lisbon will allow us to do. This treaty will allow Europe to be more efficient by making the unanimous vote, which is often paralysing, the exception, and the majority vote the rule.
It will allow it to be more identifiable by creating a standing Presidency of the Council to replace the current revolving Presidency and will give greater weight to our High Representative for foreign policy. Europe needs one face, both for our fellow citizens and for our international partners.
Finally, the Treaty of Lisbon will make Europe more democratic, by giving far greater weight to this Parliament and also by giving the national parliaments and the citizens a greater say in European affairs. On Friday, the Irish were the last nation to express a positive view on the Treaty of Lisbon. All the other nations have already done so, either directly or via their respective parliaments, including in Poland and the Czech Republic.
I therefore call on the presidents of these two countries to proceed without delay with formal signature of the Treaty, so that the 27 can move forward and implement it by no later than the start of 2010.
May I say in particular to President Klaus that the 67% Irish vote should encourage him to sign the treaty when the time comes. On behalf of the PPE, I call on him to behave responsibly, as I am sure he will."@en1
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