Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-25-Speech-3-059"
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"en.20040225.5.3-059"2
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"Mr President, the Spring Summits have unfortunately always been more about words than deeds. To that extent, results have not been forthcoming. Consequently, the Irish Presidency must be called upon to follow through its own initiative, so that this time we are not left with mere words.
At what has been termed the Berlin Summit between Chancellor Schröder, Prime Minister Blair and President Chirac, the three gentlemen proposed the creation of a new post of Deputy President of the Commission, popularly known as the post of super-Commissioner, with responsibility for coordinating all the issues relating to economic reforms of the EU.
Naturally, there must be greater focus on economic reforms, but I start to get concerned when the ‘three tenors’ talk about the necessary industrial development of Europe. Hopefully, we are not talking about more relaxed enforcement both of the rules governing state subsidies and of competition policy in general. That is the last thing Europe needs. It would remove the focus from what should be done in terms, namely, of real structural reform in many Member States and more investment in research and education. The latter could be financed by bringing forward the badly needed reforms of agricultural policy. Structural reforms are about stopping the trend towards ever increasing taxation, ensuring flexible labour markets and keeping the growth of public expenditure at a sustainable level.
We must not be like Mogens Lykketoft, the leader of the opposition in Denmark, and propose introducing a penalty duty to be paid by enterprises each time they give notice to an employee over 50 years of age. That would prevent the recruitment of older staff, make the labour market inflexible and cause the loss of jobs. It is no solution.
We in the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party support the two reports by, respectively, Mrs Randzio-Plath and Mr Bigliardo, as adopted by the committee, but not the proposed amendments to these."@en1
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