Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-02-15-Speech-4-244"
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"en.20010215.11.4-244"2
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"Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the European Union’s criticism of Ireland’s economic policy is controversial. As I see it, there are good reasons for supporting the Ecofin Council’s recommendation. The economic policy guidelines, on which all EU Member States have agreed, are concerned basically with ensuring that we do not once again slip into the galloping inflation and devastating budget deficit of the Eighties, which subsequently led to a backlash in the form of crisis and unemployment.
Ireland is the first Member State which is now seriously beginning not to meet its inflation targets. Against the background of the crisis in the Nineties, it is therefore perhaps only reasonable for the EU to react. Now, things are beginning to go well for Europe again. No-one begrudges Ireland its fantastic growth. On the contrary, it is of course one of the foremost examples of EU cooperation’s really being able to help substantially improve conditions for an individual Member State. However, that is why we must not forget our experiences of the crisis during the Nineties. We must not compromise on our conviction that the fight for growth and full employment can, and must, be allied with a clear acceptance of responsibility when it comes to price stability and a balanced budget.
Why, then, can Ireland not be allowed to go its own way? The problem is that we of course live in an interwoven, internationalised economy in which developments in one country influence developments in the others. As long as only
small country infringes the guidelines it has itself accepted, the problem may seem small. Now, however, there are worrying signs that more countries may be doing this, in which case it will be important to send out warning signals early on.
In my own country, Sweden, an attempt is now being made to feature the criticism made of Ireland in anti-euro propaganda. Just look, they say. If we take part in EMU, we shall lose our economic independence. The EU will even obtain power over our taxes.
I think that propaganda of that kind is nonsense. Ireland has been criticised not because it is to reduce taxes, but because the reduction is to take place in a situation in which this may contribute to overheating and to inflation’s taking off again.
The EU has issued a recommendation. No forcible means are to be used to take over Ireland’s tax and budget policies, despite all that is maintained by Swedish opponents of the EU."@en1
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