Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-12-04-Speech-3-135"
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"en.20021204.8.3-135"2
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".
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. Parliament has worked on this Commission proposal in a very focused manner, in a very focused and very concerted manner. We were quick and we agreed across the committee and party political divide, under Mr Karas's guidance, on what I think is a good position. And because we have worked in such a quick and concerted manner, we can formulate clear demands on exactly what sort of coordination is required.
First, at no time, not for a minute, not for a second, does anyone have any authority whatsoever to subordinate the social goals of Lisbon, the employment policy ambitions of the Lisbon agenda, to a one-dimensional interpretation of the internal market. This must be crystal clear and must be expressed in the procedures we choose. On the contrary, only if you take specific measures to promote social integration, only if you develop the full potential of people in Europe and get them into work, will you have any chance of putting Lisbon's demanding agenda into practice.
I say that quite advisedly in the present debate on job market reforms and the reform of social security systems. Of course we need systems to be flexible and adaptable, but we also need them to be modern. And a modern system is a system that offers security, security for job seekers, job security, security in the event of illness, old age or disability. That is why economic reform is a means to an end when it comes to maintaining and renewing the European social model, not the other way round. If this is what we want, we have to put the objectives of competitiveness, social security and full employment on a par with each other. We have to find ways of linking these goals and making them mutually supportive. And if that is what we want, we must also make sure that the relevant Councils and Commission departments are involved on an equal footing and that no new hierarchies are created or old hierarchies reaffirmed. We shall be measuring you in your spring report, in your guideline package, on the basis of whether you meet these targets and do justice to what the streamlining concept promises.
Secondly, if we want to do justice to Lisbon and Gothenburg, we must stop beating about the environmental bush. We must use the full potential of environmental policy in order to make it work for qualifications and employment. Thirdly, as Mr Karas quite rightly points out in his report, economic policy is a matter of common interest which deserves to be coordinated. If we want to coordinate it, then we also need to pluck up the courage to talk about investments and about an offensive in this area in the face of around 8% unemployment and a growth rate of under 1%. Parliament will be involved in this discussion and we must secure our rightful place in it."@en1
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