Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-06-Speech-3-019"
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"en.20000906.1.3-019"2
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"Mr President, we are going to vote on a report today that has caused a political stir in certain EU States. The Commission and Commissioner Vitorino have done some sterling work here, and I would like, on behalf of my group, to take the opportunity to thank them for it.
The European Council confirmed, at its special summit in Tampere, that the European Union must ensure that third-country nationals are treated fairly. The Commission has taken this resolution forward. This directive is conclusive as it stands, and should be transposed with all haste. Sadly there were, and still are, reservations against including refugees benefiting from temporary protection in this directive, and against recognising same-sex relationships as the basis for family reunification.
This debate demonstrates once again that, unfortunately, integration and migration policy is still a controversial issue in the European Union. There is, after all, a great deal to be considered. Nevertheless, we must make it possible for people who live apart from relatives who are third-country nationals, to be brought together. Therefore, in principle, this is an initiative that deserves everyone’s support, particularly where it concerns children, and these self-same children – irrespective of whether they are the offspring of refugees or immigrants – should have a future in the European Union.
However, opinion is being stirred up against this directive in the political arena. It is to be hoped that the majority of honourable members will support the directive put forward by the Commission as it stands. I know that my fellow socialist members are awaiting a statement from Mr Vitorino, in the hope that refugees’ interests will be sacrificed for the sake of this directive, under pressure from quite a number of EU Ministers for Home Affairs. I regret this decision, and the fact that Ministers for Home Affairs appear to carry more weight in this Parliament than the honourable members, who are expected to act according to their consciences.
For this reason, I reiterate my call for us to support the Commission’s directive and at last set down a marker for an up-to-date, modern and humane policy of integration. I hope the Socialists will refrain from making this deal with the Conservatives."@en1
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