Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-04-Speech-1-054"
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"en.20000904.5.1-054"2
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". – I will tell my colleague, Commissioner Verheugen, of the views that have just been expressed, which I know are held by other Members of Parliament. I am sure that he will want to respond fully and rapidly to the concerns which have just been raised.
I want to make two points absolutely clear. These are the strong views of the Commission, including my colleague Mr Verheugen. First of all, in our view, the enlargement of the Union, the incorporation of other European countries in the liberal order of Europe, is the number one priority that we face in the next few years. In my view and the view of other members of the Commission, there is not only a strategic and economic argument but also a moral argument for enlargement.
We want that message to go out loud and clear to all the enlargement candidates. Secondly, all of us have the task in the next few years of convincing public opinion of what I have just said. Mr Verheugen was trying to make that point very strongly. We have to go out and sell the case for enlargement to public opinion in all the Member States of the European Union. It would be wrong if it seemed to some of our voters in the fifteen Member States that enlargement was an issue for the political elites of Europe. We have to convince them that it is in their interests that we enlarge and that there is an obligation on us to press the case for enlargement. That is certainly a cause about which I feel very strongly and which I know President Prodi and the rest of the Commission will be arguing with vigour and passion over the next few years.
The point that the honourable Member raised expresses a legitimate and understandable concern. I will relay it to Commissioner Verheugen."@en1
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