Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-03-Speech-2-029"
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"en.20001003.2.2-029"2
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"Mr President, I have to say that it was certainly a moving moment yesterday when the Convention was able to adopt the draft Charter in Brussels. As a member of the Convention, I have to admit that from time to time over the last ten months I had grave doubts as to whether this project would succeed. But the job has been done and I should like at this stage – with your permission – to thank very much the head of our delegation, Mr Méndez de Vigo, for his personal commitment.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights is indeed an important political project for the future of the European Union. It makes the rights of the public in respect of the bodies and institutions of the European Union transparent, and it closes a loophole in the protection of people's fundamental rights. The text now on the table is undoubtedly a delicate political compromise between the different interests of all 15 Member States and between the views of the various political parties and forces in the Union with their different socio-political ideas and moral concepts, and the text of the Charter has both strengths and weaknesses.
In my view, the social fundamental rights are misconceived. We are seeking in vain to establish a right to a fair remuneration, despite the fact that this has been established by all States in the 1961 Social Charter. On environmental and consumer protection there are no individual rights for the public, and it is also regrettable that the right to asylum is not established as an individual right for third country nationals.
On the other hand, I do also recognise the strengths of the Charter. The level of protection of the public's fundamental rights will match that in the European Convention on Human Rights and will even guarantee a greater level of protection. There is the right to strike, there is the right to conscientious objection, and I am particularly glad that the absolute equality between men and women has found its way into the Charter.
I would endorse what previous speakers have said. In my view, the Cologne Decision needs to be rewritten. In Biarritz we need to send out a twofold political signal: firstly, there needs to be a wide-ranging public debate on the Charter in the Union. The people must be included in this debate. Secondly, we need a decision to make the Charter an integral part of the Treaties. But in my view this question should also be decided by the people. For example, I could imagine a referendum being held in all our countries in 2004 alongside the European elections to ask the people whether the Charter should become an integral part of the Treaties."@en1
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