Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-24-Speech-3-122"
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"en.20011024.5.3-122"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, during my enjoyable spell as a Member of the European Parliament, I, myself, was also rather critical of the Council. I do not think, however, that I ever spoke about the Council in the way some of you have today.
Secondly, I would also like to tell you that there is one thing I do not understand. In the year that I have been part of Belgium’s federal government, I have taken part in the General Affairs Council, I have chaired the Agriculture Council for several months; I have been a member of the informal External Trade Council and, for a long time now, I have been part of the Internal Market Council.
So, I would point out to you that even in the space of a year, I have gained some experience of the way Councils work and of their various formations. I would like to tell you, for your information, that it is very rare to have a majority, not to mention almost all the ministers of Secretaries of State attending meetings, and this is true for all the formations I have just mentioned.
I would also like to tell you, so that you know, that the image some of you have painted here today, that is, of a Council whose ministers turn up when the cameras appear and who leave when the cameras go away, that this is not, in fact, what actually takes place.
Once again, this is just to remind you. It draws my attention to the criticism voiced by certain individuals who condemn absenteeism amongst MEPs in this European Parliament, that I have always refuted, who, looking, for example, at the number of people present for this debate today would say, ‘Where is everybody?’
Lastly, I must also tell you that there is no question of Council ministers receiving subsistence allowances.
Everything that I have said, ladies and gentlemen, is solely for information purposes."@en1
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