Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-11-23-Speech-2-431"
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"en.20101123.37.2-431"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, is this debate about money and power? No, it is not. The engine of European development is spluttering. The revenue side of the budget has been waiting for a reform for years. The Treaty of Lisbon said that income had to be provided from our own resources. So why not? Why can we not deliberate on this? For years, experts have been saying that the European budget is inflexible, that this is what renders the European Union a lame duck. So why do we not create a flexible budget?
We cannot respond to the challenges of a rapidly changing world while hogtied – hogtied by a seven-year budget – but, at the same time, we should not disregard those basic European principles which state that differences of opinion must be resolved in an open debate and through compromise. It is unacceptable that there are states which are not even willing to engage in a debate. This means the end of the European spirit. We continue to be open to discussion, and the responsibility lies with those that are reluctant to engage.
Some say that political issues must not be linked to budgetary ones. Quite the contrary! The history of the entire European Union has been about this. Please research for yourselves! Here, we represent the people, and cannot look them in the eyes while presenting them with magnificent feints again and again: the 2020 programme, the Lisbon Programme, and we have no means to implement them. It cannot go on like this any longer! It is not the Council arguing with Parliament. It is those who are unable to comprehend the spirit of the times who are arguing with those wishing to have a functioning Europe."@en1
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