Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-09-14-Speech-2-091"
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"en.19990914.4.2-091"2
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"Mr President, Mr President of the Commission, in your speech this morning you said that the Commission was to become much more open. You spoke in this connection of the need, here and now, for glasnost. In doing so, you went to the heart of the problem. Last year’s conflict between the Commission and Parliament was largely due to the Commission’s culture of secrecy and to the arrogance with which the Commission handled Parliament’s justified concerns. I hope all this belongs to the past and look forward with yourself, Mr President of the Commission, to a new beginning.
I turn now to the Committee’s hearings specifically in connection with foreign affairs, human rights, and the common security and defence policy. A general remark, first of all. If we were to set the qualifying standard for Commissioners at the level displayed by my colleague Ingo Friedrich at the hearings and also in today’s debate, we would not have any difficulties with anyone. However, Commissioners-designate Günther Verheugen and Chris Patten have no need of formal qualifying standards. They have both engaged in an excellent debate in committee and provided real proof not only of their specialist qualifications but also – and this is almost more important – of the new political culture to which you yourself have referred, Commissioner, and of the dialogue between the European Parliament and the Commission.
Of course, we have identified differences when it comes to political opinions. It would not be understandable if it were otherwise, but it is precisely that which makes collaboration interesting and preserves us from boredom. All the co-ordinators were subsequently correct in agreeing that our committee had gained two valuable and esteemed partners in dialogue.
Mr President of the Commission, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs has also arrived at the same consensus regarding Commissioner-designate Nielson. I say this because our committee too was involved in this matter. I should like to assure you and also the other Commissioners that we shall offer critical co-operation and engagement in dialogue. I have no difficulty in repeating what my group chairman said a short while ago, namely that we shall be expressing our confidence in you."@en1
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