Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-02-28-Speech-4-078"
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"en.20020228.4.4-078"2
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"We voted against certain points in Mr Bullmann’s report on the European Council’s Spring Summit 2002, the Lisbon process and the direction to be followed in future.
We are basically well-disposed towards the European Union. Through European integration, cross-border problems can be solved more effectively than they would be if they were only to be tackled within each Member State. Such problems may relate, for example, to the environment, trade, movement across borders, human rights and conflict management. As Liberals, we also believe, however, in the subsidiarity principle. Every political decision should be made as close to those affected by the decision as is possible and appropriate. Those issues which are not clearly of a cross-border nature, or those cases in which there are clear differences between different countries or regions should therefore be dealt with at local, regional or national level. The EU should concern itself with those issues it is best qualified to deal with.
Social and employment policies are areas we believe are best addressed within each country, region or municipality. The EU should only have limited competence within these areas. Each Member State should have full responsibility for its social security systems and the right to make its own decisions about them. To quote examples, neither child care nor employment policy is harmonised at EU level. These issues are not of a directly cross-border nature. Moreover, there are major differences between national and local opinions on what may be considered the best policy. Nor are all these issues best dealt with through political decisions. For example, high growth and sound competition are more important for employment than political measures. That would not, however, prevent the EU’s Member States from cooperating and exchanging ideas in the social sphere.
Closely linked to social and employment policy is, of course, the tax burden. We are therefore also voting against European coordination in the area of tax. Taxes should be decided upon as close to the people as possible.
Social issues, equality, sustainable development and increased employment are important issues. We wholeheartedly support many of the ideas – though far from all of them – presented in Mr Bullmann’s report, but at national or local level."@en1
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