Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-11-Speech-2-137"
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"en.20030311.6.2-137"2
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"Mr President, there can be no doubt that Europe was in need of an employment strategy in 1997 even though the economic cycle was at a high and it was possible to argue that the market itself would provide for our needs. In the light of the present situation, however, it is even more necessary to make every effort to improve this strategy, particularly as we face up to a war situation and its aftermath. The Commission’s communication and reform must therefore be more than welcome. Let us hope that the second half of the decade that began in 1997 will actually surpass the first.
I must begin by echoing what other Members have said. I do not know whether to start by commenting on Mr Mann’s report or on the amendments to it. Further to the statements made by the rapporteur and by Mr Pronk, I find I am bound to state strong opposition to all the amendments.
Mr Mann’s report does indeed contain a number of positive ideas. These enjoyed broad support in committee. Unfortunately, the amendments amount to a strong reaction against the most sensible and balanced ideas of the European strategy for ideological reasons.
I should like to focus on the objectives and point out that there can be no valid strategy if the objectives are scaled down. As the Commissioner stated, the Lisbon objectives are crystal clear. There is no doubt that the objectives for the coming five years are more jobs, better job quality and better social inclusion.
Mr Mann, more jobs is not synonymous with full employment. It is not acceptable to maintain that it was over-ambitious to hope to attain the rates of employment set at Lisbon. That is backtracking. Similarly, better quality is not synonymous with lower taxation, nor is more social inclusion synonymous with fewer fiscal demands. Public resources will be needed to launch proactive policies and to ensure those in danger of being excluded from the labour market are drawn into it.
If these amendments are adopted, I shall therefore be obliged to vote against your report, Mr Mann, along with many other Members in my delegation."@en1
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