Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-28-Speech-4-131"
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"en.19991028.3.4-131"2
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"Mr President, I wish to speak in favour of the report by Mr Hatzidakis, simply because we do need regulations on the transportation of dangerous goods in Europe. I would, however, add at the same time that this report also describes the tense relationship of road and rail. We have, in the agreements which we are to conclude here, repeatedly drawn attention, from many different points of view, to the fact that rail transport must be intensified. This is as is should be, because we do need these transport operators, particularly in the case of dangerous goods. There is no doubt about it.
But we must approach this subject honestly and ask ourselves whether we have the necessary capacity in this sector. I have my doubts in this regard. I think all of us here, getting up on our soap-boxes, have repeatedly discussed the capacity of the railway system, a capacity which just does not exist in reality, either because too few rail networks are available or because there is much too much passenger traffic on these rail networks.
I believe we need a touch more honesty in this discussion. I myself come from a region in Germany, the Ruhr, in which there is a very dense railway network, but despite that we can observe in the same region that the capacity available is simply far from adequate, even if it was required.
Permit me to introduce a second aspect in connection with this, a matter which I believe it is very important to take note of. Whenever the European Parliament discusses this theme or similar ones, it is clear to me that this is a field which we must deal with on the European scale, for example, on the subject of railways, or on the subject of the transportation of dangerous goods. It is accepted that we should establish a common European transport policy. It is accepted that we should establish a common European environmental policy, and these are precisely the areas where this Parliament and European policy are credible, in my opinion. So what use are national regulations, for dangerous goods on the road, for instance, if we need Europe-wide regulations? This is precisely the point described in this report. We do not need to justify to the citizens of Europe the fact that we need a common European environmental policy or a European safety policy in this field relating to dangerous goods. It has been accepted and is understood. It is applicable, besides, to other areas of transport policy.
Let me just mention, in connection with this, that there is no longer anyone in Europe who understands why we still regulate aviation safety in Europe on a national and not a European basis. I am therefore grateful to President Prodi for adding this as a point and clearly emphasising it in the Commission’s intergovernmental programme. We must put an end to petty national jealousies and say that, with five phases, we could guarantee safety in aviation in Europe.
In this area we need European solutions, not national solutions, and here the national state is yielding none of its sovereignty. Instead, all one is trying to understand here is what is necessary in order to provide safety. The sovereignty of national states was lost long ago in the fields of the environment, aviation, or safety. This is an area where Europe must make a positive contribution. That is why this report may be seen in isolation as dealing with a specific subject, but when it is examined in the European context, it becomes clear that this report is outlining more than the specific subject of dangerous goods on the rail network. It exemplifies the fact that in this House we do see connections, and this is something I wished to stress clearly once more. Let us approve this report, and on all matters let us keep in mind the big picture, seeing this as a document which contributes towards a Europe which is responsive to its citizens."@en1
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