Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-24-Speech-2-235"
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"en.20001024.7.2-235"2
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"Mr President, this year’s budget is, in my opinion, neither very negative nor very positive. Why is this? Clearly, although, on the one hand, a constructive relationship has been maintained with the Commission, thanks to Commissioner Schreyer and to Mr Wynn who chaired the Committee with the patience of a saint, on the other hand, the Council tried to monopolise our budget completely. It may have arrived at the same result but, in political terms, it certainly did not acknowledge the results achieved by our Committee on Budgets. Going so far as to hold back on the decision on the operations in Kosovo and Serbia at a time of such pressing urgency while advancing mere formal issues is certainly not a good image for the Community to be presenting to the rest of the world in political terms.
I would nevertheless emphasise, in particular, that, six months ago, one of the political priorities was stressed in this Chamber. I quote the exact words of Parliament’s resolution: ‘The European Parliament requests the Commission to pay special attention to structural problems of an economic or social character caused by natural disasters and to look favourably on measures to help solve these problems; Stresses the need to re-establish line B4-3400 (urgent aid for natural disasters within the European Union) so that urgent needs can be addressed immediately, fully respecting the principle of subsidiarity’.
Well, none of this has been achieved. Quite the contrary. At a time in which, with the approach of enlargement and the euro crisis, we need to reinforce the bridges created over the last 50 years between the peoples of the European Union and the Union itself, a Community intervention to assist the peoples who are victims of natural disasters is, at the very least, politically appropriate, and is morally urgent. The same Mr Casaca, who tabled an amendment similar to mine which has my full support, pointed out in a letter – which you have all received – that paradoxical situations have arisen in the past and are in danger of arising in the future, in which urgent operations to assist disaster-stricken areas within our Union are carried out by American marines rather than by Europe itself. This is just one of the potential situations. Another scenario is that the Member States are left to do entirely as they please. By acting in this way in the name of subsidiarity, the Union is, in actual fact, shirking one of its responsibilities, as it has in recent weeks both in northern Italy and in Spain.
My observations are frequently criticised for lacking a legal basis. Well, I am going to give you a few references. How many entire families are at death’s door? Is one of the Union’s objectives not to protect health and safety? This is part of Title 13 of the Treaty. How many entire road and other transport networks are becoming unusable? Is one of the Union’s objectives not to make them usable once more? That is what Title 5 of the Treaty says. We could also cite Title 7 and Title 8 of the Treaty on industries and firms which are forced to close down. Are we not going to jeopardise the common economic and employment policy? I refer you to Title 2 of the Treaty. As for harvests which are wiped out in the space of a few days, does this not come under one of the pillars of the Union?
So let us stop trying to hide behind a pointing finger and do something instead! Where is the problem? Does this House really feel that a Community intervention in this sector would be contrary to the principle of subsidiarity? I do not think so, and I feel that it is morally right to support the amendment upon which we are going to vote on Thursday."@en1
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