Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-09-14-Speech-2-133"
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"en.19990914.5.2-133"2
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"Mr President, Mr President of the Commission, I will not repeat what my colleagues in the PPE have already said and, as a member of the Belgian delegation, I will not introduce internal Belgian politics into this debate. To my mind, there is a double challenge facing this Commission: winning the confidence of Parliament and also, and especially, that of our fellow citizens.
As a Member for a border region between Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, I can describe for you the everyday expectations of many Europeans but, in particular, their lack of comprehension concerning the many instances of bullying which affect relations between our Member States. Investments, employment protection, health protection and fiscal policy are just a few examples of the points at issue. These problems are not those of a minority in Europe. No, Europe’s shortcomings in these areas are particularly sensitive issues on the national borders. They are everyday problems which, unfortunately, have only been acknowledged somewhat late in the day as problems for Europe as a whole. Devoting ourselves to these problems, Mr President, means winning over our citizens, in their work and with their problems. It is in their thinking and in their creative activity that we also have to win them over to the European idea.
This Parliament has given clear signs to the previous and future Commissions. We therefore expect genuine co-operation, and right from the start. We expect strengthened supervision, for EU funds are not anonymous in origin but are tax payments from all our citizens. We are also awaiting, however, a precise definition of political responsibility from this Commission. I shall express my confidence in you and your team because you alone at present bear the responsibility for this College and for its strengths and weaknesses. The power is in your hands, Mr President, to ensure that Parliament’s signals are correctly interpreted. One thing I know already. A highly critical Parliament will not be fobbed off for weeks with arguments about overall responsibility. Our vote of confidence is no blank cheque but an offer of constructive co-operation from many Members of this Chamber."@en1
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