Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-03-Speech-3-024"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011003.2.3-024"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Madam President, Minister Michel, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Commission and its President, Roman Prodi, who is currently in Brussels attending the European Union meeting with Russia, I would like to make a statement on the recent Extraordinary European Council held in Brussels and the opportunities arising from the preparatory work of the Ghent European Council.
I shall now move on, if I may, to discuss the forthcoming informal Ghent Council and to the first of the subjects on the agenda, which relates to the major challenge of the euro and the introduction of euro banknotes and coins. In less than three months, the euro will be here. It is crucial to constantly reiterate, to everyone we speak to, the reasons why the majority of Member States of the European Union took the decision to share the same currency. The euro is a political and economic undertaking; for almost three years, we have kept inflation under control and have had sustained growth because of economic and monetary union. The euro will provide the European Union with better protection against external economic forces and against international financial crises. Now is also the time to reiterate this. This is an achievement, and we can all weigh up the extent of our achievement. By using the euro on a daily basis, people, private individuals and businesses will benefit from the greatest transparency in prices, easier transactions and better investment opportunities. They will gain a better understanding of what an internal market can offer, one that is made up of almost 400 million citizens and consumers, 300 million of which will use the single currency. From 1 January 2002, the euro will, undoubtedly, make Europe more tangible, more visible than ever, and I believe that the circulation of the euro notes and coins will show in a very specific manner that the people of Europe are managing to achieve their common goals. The euro will therefore become a symbol of stability, peace and shared identity.
Yet, when faced with such challenges, we must also hope and ensure that the changeover to the euro notes and coins is as straightforward as possible for 300 million people in 12 countries, when so many new methods of payments are introduced, along with 15 billion notes and 50 billion coins. In other words, we must ensure that we meet this unprecedented logistical and strategic challenge.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Commission has shown that it is playing an active and willing role to prepare for the introduction of the euro, and that it is concerned that consumers and businesses, from the largest to the smallest, receive the information they need. With the support of the European Union, Member States have put in place national plans for the changeover to the euro. Next week, my colleague, Pedro Solbes, will present a communication on the introduction of notes and coins, so that, in Ghent, the Heads of State and Government can put the finishing touches to the preparatory work that is underway. The European Union, working together, must ensure that this information is circulated as far and wide as possible in order to respond to the concerns that exist, and which are having a noticeable effect on price stability, and to force us to collectively resolve any technical issues in an accurate and practical manner.
Before I speak about the three subjects that Minister Michel also mentioned, which will be on the agenda of the Ghent Council, I would like to briefly talk about the Extraordinary European Council held on 24 September, in the wake of the tragic attacks on New York City and Washington.
As you know, this Council was, first of all, an opportunity to unanimously express our shared sadness and solidarity with the American people. However, looking beyond these events, whilst we too experience this sadness and solidarity, I want to reassert our belief, and that of the Commission as a whole, that the fight against terrorism is not and cannot be a clash of civilisations. On the contrary, it is this fight that brings together all the nations of the world, as equal partners, against the forces that set out to destroy them, without regard for human life, without any respect for the values that people share and that transcend borders and cultures. And it is the concept of humanity on which the European Union bases its action. This is how our collective, global fight will achieve its goal.
At the Extraordinary Council, the European Union outlined the main points of a common response to the threat of terrorism, a threat that is unfortunately not unfamiliar to some of our Member States and which the Heads of State and Government now wish to combat together, using every possible means.
At the informal meeting at Ghent, the Commission will report back on developments in the economic situation, and more generally, on the various measures that were put forward on 21 September by the European Council. The Laeken European Council will provide an opportunity to give a more detailed operational report.
In the coming months, the European Union must demonstrate that it is able to organise, take action, react swiftly and, of course, respect the fundamental freedoms, because this situation forces us, once again, to reconcile freedom and security. The most urgent measures, on which my colleague Mr Vitorino is working, include the introduction of a European arrest warrant to replace current extradition procedures and the adoption of a common definition of terrorism. I would point out that the Extraordinary European Council hoped to implement all the measures decided by the European Council at its meeting in Tampere in October 1999.
With the same determination, the Commission yesterday referred to you, Madam President, a draft Community regulation enabling us to freeze the assets of individuals or bodies that may have links with terrorism.
The Laeken European Council will therefore be a good opportunity to assess very carefully the progress made on creating the area of freedom, security and justice laid down at Tampere. In the meantime, the European Parliament and the Council will be able to make initial progress due to several measures. In October, the Commission will present the biannual performance indicators, which enable us to monitor the follow-up of the Tampere Council.
Ladies and gentlemen, let there be no mistake: whether it be regarding these matters and the other measures announced in Brussels on 21 September, the funding of terrorism, which I have just mentioned, the situation of air transport or the aid that we must give to the Afghan refugees, the European Union has a duty to achieve results, first and foremost to the Afghan refugees, who are expecting some progress to be made. I would like to reaffirm my belief that the most effective means of bridging what we call the democratic deficit is most certainly to respond to citizens’ expectations and to follow up our words with actions."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples