Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-15-Speech-4-030"
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"en.20000615.2.4-030"2
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"Madam President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, a year ago, almost to the day, the European elections were marked by massive abstentions, confirming that there is a crisis of confidence amongst citizens as regards the European institutions.
When you were preparing for the Portuguese Presidency, Mr President-in-Office, I presume you were determined to send a strong message to the public. It was undoubtedly in that spirit that you decided to make the Lisbon European Council a special employment summit. And you effectively relaunched the idea of full employment, emphasised the importance of lifelong training, and stressed the considerable challenge represented by the information revolution. But without specific job creation targets, verifiable timetable commitments, clear choices about finance and tangible progress on the right of the social operators to be involved, all public opinion will remember about that summit will be the Blair-Aznar trademark.
Besides, Commissioner Bolkestein, to take one example, has not hesitated to refer to what he called the ambition set at Lisbon to require postal services to be opened up to competition, even if it means a head-on clash with the unions, many Members of Parliament and several Member States. Under such circumstances, what is left of the social message you were hoping to send to the citizens of Europe?
I do not say that as an accusation against the Portuguese Presidency. I think it is up to all the Member States to take up the challenge. And what has happened to that other big idea intended to regain people’s confidence, the affirmation of a policy department for European business, faced with the influence of mega-firms and markets? There was a fascinating sight for all to see at the European Business Summit in Brussels last weekend, attended by the flower of European employers present and even the Microsoft management.
And as we know, the Commission did not content itself with sending eleven commissioners to it, which is unprecedented, apparently the Commission President also came out with some original principles there, to the effect that the law is the law, but in times of change excessively precise regulations should be avoided. What does the political authority, the Council, think of this laissez-faire philosophy? If voices are raised in Feira, as I hope they will be, to distance themselves from the whole engulfing tide of liberalism and advocate real social and democratic reform, then please, Mr President, open the windows and doors of your summit wide, let that dissent be heard in full transparency and clarity and let a real comparison of options, which is so lacking today, begin everywhere in the full light of day. I think that is the best favour Europe can be done today."@en1
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