Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-24-Speech-2-021"
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"en.20001024.2.2-021"2
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"Madam President, President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, while progress has been made on closer cooperation and the extension of qualified majority voting, deep-seated disagreement persists, as you yourself have underlined, concerning the composition of the Commission and the weighting of votes in Council. It is indeed a fact that there are still major differences of opinion between larger countries and the smaller countries, which fear the stronger countries setting up a type of cabinet.
So, in speaking of the Biarritz spirit, I believe that in essence Biarritz reflects the complexity of the challenges facing the Union. I view it as expressing, along the line of other summits, even if it was an informal one, the contradictions that exist between social requirements and citizens’ demands, the expectations of the peoples of Europe, and the free-market rationale that continues to hold sway in the European Union. There is a pressing need to work out a new design for an enlargement that unites rather than divides, that involves the candidate countries in the work of the Intergovernmental Conference and pays far greater attention to the social dimension of enlargement.
I would therefore reiterate my Group’s commitment to a reform that guarantees balance between the European institutions and also between the Member States, and in doing so smaller countries being marginalised. A reform that also increases transparency and democracy and at last enables the general public to participate in the drafting of European policies.
Biarritz also saw the unanimous adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and, yes, there was indeed great ambition and a novel method. For the first time in a document of this type, civil, political and social rights were placed on an equal footing, with a commitment to establishing a Community of human values. I do not for all that share in the Presidency’s satisfaction, and can only regret the fact that the content of the Charter fails to live up to requirements and expectations, not least as regards social issues. I would also express the wish of my Group and of a good many NGOs to see the Charter evolve and continue to improve, in order to guarantee, amongst other things, more effective protection and rights for the citizens of the European Union, for employees, for the citizens of third countries and for the socially marginalised. The Council would truly satisfy the expectations of European citizens if it were to launch a widespread consultation of individual communities and national parliaments, culminating in a charter that genuinely met people’s needs.
Finally, concerning international issues, I, like others here, am keen to hail the return of democracy to Serbia. It is very important, as part of the process that has started, for the Union to contribute to the reconstruction, stability and promotion of human rights in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia.
Concerning the Middle East, all the signs following Sharm-el-Sheikh are that the peace process depends on certain undertakings being honoured, beginning with the full and comprehensive implementation of the UN resolutions, an end to Israeli colonisation of the occupied territories, the right of displaced Palestinians to return to their lands, and the recognition of a Palestinian state which has East Jerusalem as its capital.
I too hope that Nice European Council is a success and welcome the fact that the peoples of Europe, and large numbers of associations, NGOs and trade unions are investing time and effort in preparing for it."@en1
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