Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-19-Speech-3-025"
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"en.20031119.1.3-025"2
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"Mr President, Mr Antonione, Commissioner, the democratic deficit in the EU is, in fact, often talked about. Decisions are taken behind closed doors by a circle of ministers, without ourselves, as citizens, being guaranteed political influence via an open debate and without ministers being held directly responsible to the voters for the decisions they make. That is the deficit that we in Parliament must make up, and Parliament’s influence on the budget and budget control are crucial in this area. It is, of course, not the governments that we see taking the lead in demanding reforms and better management of EU finances. It is Parliament that does this.
The proposal by the finance ministers, whatever status it may have, involving a desire to uncouple Parliament from the budget process, is therefore a very embarrassing attack on democracy, and I hope that the EU Heads of State and Government will acknowledge this and reject the proposals. I hope that they accept the Convention’s proposal concerning the budget procedure, for it is balanced in a way with which they can be satisfied. At present, Parliament has, of course, real influence, both upon the annual budget and the financial estimates. Under the Convention’s proposal, we should be surrendering a little of the latter form of influence, for we can, at present, say at any time that we do not accept the multiannual budget framework but are returning to annual budgeting, for that is what is specified in the Treaty.
Parliament has voluntarily entered into multiannual agreements, and we can accept these agreements in future becoming law, but on condition that we are given influence over the financial estimates and, of course, on condition too that we are given influence over the agricultural budget. That is the balance in the Convention’s proposal. Parliament gives something and receives something in return.
I also look forward to the Danish Government’s denying press reports that it would support one of the finance ministers’ proposals, namely the proposal to introduce unanimity in the European Council when the financial estimates are adopted, for that cannot be right. We are in danger of deadlock in which the work of reform, including the reform of agricultural policy, is blocked. Denmark’s point of departure is that the European Parliament must have greater, not less, influence over the budget. This is something on which we must stand firm."@en1
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