Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-14-Speech-2-019"
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"en.20001114.2.2-019"2
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"Madam President, great importance is often attached to the signing of charters, and this often assumes legendary status. Such was the case with the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, signed in Strasbourg during a European Council, which appeared to have discharged the institutions' undertaking to resolve the issues related to the protection of workers' dignity. And then the recantation: in actual fact, in Maastricht, Great Britain did not sign the social chapter, going back on the profuse rhetoric which it had lavishly dispensed when proclaiming the vital importance of signing the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers.
Well then, let us endeavour to ensure that this situation is not repeated in the case of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. To this end, besides the signatures, it is important for there to be effective political undertakings implemented within the timeframe – every day – by all the countries and political forces. The Charter cannot be amended and this gives rise to a democratic deficit, leading us to support the Biarritz conclusions not to consider it to be legally binding. In fact, if it were possible to amend the Charter, if it were admitted that the Charter does not provide for duties and does not provide fully for rights, things would be easier: the Charter does not go far enough in protecting the natural family or safeguarding children; it disregards the need for rules to regulate every new global information technology; it discriminates between private and public education; with regard to safeguarding the environment, it disregards the protection of health and animal rights; it is too general with regard to consumer protection and leaves the door open to the marketing of extremely harmful foodstuffs. In addition, there are political gaps in the Charter such as the fact that it does not tackle the issue of political refugees.
Therefore, we feel that the Charter is only important as a position of principle, as a starting point for a debate: a debate which we consider useful for the future but which has yet to develop, which must take place alongside the unification process. We will assign to this Charter the value of a political declaration, committing ourselves together: we will therefore vote for the recommendation and the
will enter into a democratic debate that will supplement and finalise the content of the Charter over the coming months, and which will evolve alongside the accession process and the new European citizenship."@en1
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