Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-05-30-Speech-4-045"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20020530.4.4-045"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Madam President, I would like to compliment Mr Howitt on the very considerable work that he has done on this report. As he is aware, many of his colleagues have not been idle either and much of the work that we have done has been, as a result of the work of Mr Howitt, to try and unscramble or reshape his particular report.
Certainly, in committee we have worked well together across the groups and have produced compromise amendments that some of us can live with, some more easily than others.
Our basic position is that, yet again, we see being proposed today, the standard Socialist solution to every problem: legislation. The irony is that on this particular occasion it is being offered as a solution to an area for which there is no problem in the first place. Corporate social responsibility is something that is very much on the up, it is very strong within Europe. Europe is giving a lead on this and that is to be encouraged and supported.
As a group, obviously we support the very concept of CSR, but we do not welcome legislation which would stifle the very initiatives that we are trying to foster. This represents not just the view of governments, but also of businesses across the EU who have supplied input to the rapporteur.
We have tabled and re-tabled some amendments. Amendment No 1 is key and needs to pass if the group line will be to support the report. I hope that many of the other amendments which failed by one vote in committee, will also secure the support of the House today. We welcome the idea of some sort of stakeholder forum where companies can bounce ideas off each other and share best practice, but do not see this as a forum which will lead to the signing-up of agreements.
Finally, I particularly welcome the position taken by the Commissioner and would thank her for the letter that she wrote to my colleague, Mr Pronk, last month which said that the Commission has stated that the CSR is essentially a concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment. The Commission maintains this opinion which has been confirmed during the consultation process on the Green Paper. I trust you will note that the final report invites the Commission to bring forward legislation and I hope this is an invitation which you will very politely, but very firmly, refuse."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples