Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-09-13-Speech-1-056"
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"en.19990913.5.1-056"2
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"Mr President, President-designate of the Commission, Romano Prodi, spoke in July of a revolution of the working method which it is now time to translate into action. In fact, the statements from the Wise Men make it clear that we in Europe need a new culture of responsibility and I would like to add, Mr Kinnock, that on this very point it would be an enticing prospect to continue the hearings from the past week because many issues from the hearings which are still unclear have to be tidied up in terms of definitions and clarity since we would certainly like to know how exactly the Commission should look and function in future.
The Wise Men’s second report contains approximately 90 recommendations which are worth analysing and discussing carefully. I shall pick out four points. There are the recommendations relating to the Commission’s Code of Conduct. The Committee of the Wise Men says that these recommendations have not yet been fully incorporated into the Commission’s proposals. When I look at the wording of the Wise Men on this point, what they talk about are actually foregone conclusions, and it really is surprising that the Commission has not even transposed these in the past. As regards OLAF, I am of the opinion that it should be made clear that the strict independence of OLAF, which is something we all want, must include the operative, independent capacity to act. This has to do with personnel provision and, at the end of the day, has to lead to the establishment of a European Prosecution Office. It is quite interesting that the Committee of Experts in its concluding remarks says that Community administration is moving towards favouring the tasks of conception and negotiation to the disadvantage of management and supervision responsibilities. I believe that this is the crucial point. We have to learn to practise successful management at a European level and this will only be achieved, and this is something that has been made clear to the Commission, if, in this regard, Parliament, the Commission and the Council can come to solutions jointly.
I would also like to mention another point in this regard. In most political areas, we have committees in which representatives of the Member States have administrative and supervisory authority, but this is used by these representatives, at the end of the day, to pursue their own interests. Whilst not wishing to anticipate Thursday’s debate, I would like to make it very clear that, for example, the discussion regarding the creation of the reconstruction agency in Kosovo, both with regard to the legal position as well as with regard to the administrative structures for which provision has been made, is heading precisely in this direction. It cannot be allowed to do so, hence my reference to the discussion due to take place on Thursday. I expect the new Commission to comply with Parliament on these very points, as regards the legal basis and on the question of the future administrative and responsibility structures of this reconstruction agency for Kosovo. Otherwise, we will be creating new structures which are basically encumbered with past mistakes.
Let me say one more thing. The Committee of Independent Experts has complained that the indifference with which the Council practised the discharge procedure in the past, was truly scandalous. In this area as well, it is quite crucial that in the interests of Europe, a new culture of responsibility takes shape in the Council itself. The Commission has at last taken action on quite a few issues although, with regard to BSE, it only acted after coming under pressure, and the pressure of public opinion at that. I say to you: in future, you are better off listening to Parliament than some policy advisors, even from among your own ranks. That will benefit the European project, the success of which we all certainly believe in and wish for."@en1
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