Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-24-Speech-3-112"
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"en.20011024.5.3-112"2
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"Mr President, who knows the Ministers Mr Van Dale, Mr Conde de Saro and Mr Christoffersen? These three gentlemen will, over the next 14 months, be responsible for the adoption of the majority of laws in the EU. The permanent representatives of the countries which hold, or are to hold, the presidency – Belgium, Spain and Denmark – are clever diplomats who live in the shadows. They meet every week in Brussels and negotiate the larger part of our laws. Seventy per cent of these are prepared by their subordinates and aides. Fifteen per cent of them they deal with themselves. Another 15% are placed on the ministers’ desks, and the permanent representatives brief or deputise for the ministers during the formal adoption. The meetings take place behind sealed doors so that no one can see how far we are from that democracy in which we are united in believing in the fifteen Member States. It does happen that a matter is discussed in public and finds echoes in the national parliaments. Indeed, it may directly entail a brief or negotiating mandate for the minister. However, that is the exception. As a rule, we as voters and elected representatives have forfeited the larger part of our democracy, which is administered by 15 permanent representatives and their officials. The solution to this democratic deficit or embezzlement, for we know, of course, who have absconded with the power, is simple: to read our constitutions and return legislative power to the elected representatives. Let us recreate the core of democracy whereby the electorate can go to the polls and new majorities can be obtained and new laws adopted. That core does not exist in today’s EU."@en1
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