Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-02-Speech-2-030"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011002.2.2-030"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, I am very glad that you are being very tolerant on time this morning. It is a well-known saying that ‘if you don't know where you're going, then you won't get there’. First and foremost we need to be very clear in Europe about what we are doing; our aim is not to create a single State of Europe, but to have a union of sovereign States that are cooperating when and where necessary. Unlike Mr Farage, I believe there are many occasions when it is important that we cooperate in Europe.
Equally we all know that the none of the institutions are held in high regard. That is not because they are bad. It is because they are complex, remote and not understood. Frankly, we will continue to face the same problem, whatever specific reforms we come up with, if they remain obscure, complex and unexplained. I say to my colleagues in this Chamber that one thing the people of Europe do not understand is why we oscillate between Brussels and Strasbourg. It is up to us to listen to some of the problems that people express to us.
I was disappointed in President Prodi's White Paper. He virtually neglected the role of the ombudsman. After all, the ombudsman is in the front line of dealing with the complaints and concerns of citizens. I was also disappointed last month by the response of Commissioner de Palacio, whom I normally respect, who was quite dismissive about the code of good administrative behaviour. We must make sure that we have good administration. That means that we must have an enforceable code common to all of the institutions.
The Committee on Petitions has asked the Ombudsman to report to us on the problems that citizens are presenting to him. We want to listen to citizens. I extend an invitation to President Prodi, if he really wants to understand what the citizens of Europe are finding difficult with the European institutions, European rules and regulations, to give up one afternoon and come along to the Petitions Committee to listen to what citizens are saying. He would certainly have an afternoon's entertainment hearing what people really think.
In brief, what I am saying is this: listen to people; listen to those who know what they are talking about; be clear about your objectives; and then explain yourselves in clear and simple language."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples