Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-13-Speech-2-074"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-11-13"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Services of general interest in Europe2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20011113.6.2-074"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-11-13-Speech-2-0752
lpv:speaker	lp:Jules Maaten2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Temporary committee on human genetics and other new technologies in modern medicine (2000-12-13--2001-11-29)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Member States of ASEAN, South-east Asia and the Republic of Korea (1999-09-29--2002-01-14)3 substitute; ECON (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; ELDR (1999-07-20--2002-03-06)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, it is, of course, vital to assess the phenomenon of services of general interest and the implications thereof for the European citizen. In our view, the basic objective in this connection should be to step up competition in favour of the citizen and to determine the pre-conditions on that basis. The concept of services of general interest should be a matter to be decided upon by the Member States, and subsidiarity should be a keyword in this connection. It is essential to accomplish the internal market in the way it was agreed in Lisbon. That is why, in the interest of the citizen, swift progress should be made with the ongoing liberalisation of postal services, transport, electricity and gas – and water as well, as far as I am concerned. Current liberalisation has contributed greatly to the competitiveness of European businesses and has also benefited the European citizen. Citizens should have a choice, particularly in the case of products which are so important in everyday life. Citizens must be regarded as consumers rather than objects. That is why services of general interest must be provided in a competitive manner everywhere. It is important for a sufficient number of market operators to enter the market, and that is why the same conditions of access must apply to public and private businesses alike. The citizen also benefits from clarity in the field of prices, bills and supplies. In addition, high quality must be delivered. This should, of course, go hand in hand with the correct and prompt handling of complaints. Efficiency, for example with a view to an improved guarantee of supply, should also be on the agenda. Furthermore, the market for other products, such as water, must be opened up so that the citizen can reap the benefits there too. With regard to the drafting of a framework directive, I would prefer to await the Commission position in Laeken. At the moment, we are actually opposed to a framework directive. We must carefully consider whether such a directive is in fact necessary, and we should only draft legislation if it is required. We should not make it more opaque than it already is. On a final note, I should like to thank the rapporteur, including for the consultation he has entered into with all of us. In all honesty, I thought his original proposal was the best and the Commission has since then made every effort to tone things down. Our voting behaviour will therefore be able to hit quite a critical note in that respect."@en1

Named graphs describing this resource:

The resource appears as object in 2 triples

Context graph