Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-19-Speech-1-184"
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"en.20040419.15.1-184"2
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"Madam President, I should like to join my colleagues in congratulating Mrs Lambert on her tremendous work on what was a very difficult brief. One thing this highlights is that great results can be achieved when the EU institutions pool their collective intelligence.
The rapporteur has shown great tenacity in steering a very difficult course between many different viewpoints, and has arrived the best possible solution. I hope all Members will support this report tomorrow, along with the two amendments in it, as we need a majority vote.
In presenting this regulation to the public we should also highlight that this is probably the single most important piece of social legislation to come out of this Parliament and one that makes a real difference to people's lives in that it reflects the realities in which the modern-day European Union citizen is working. People are moving across borders to take up jobs, some people are retiring to other areas and an increasing number of people are working for periods in other Member States. We need to ensure that the rights of such people can be carried across borders.
Great credit is due to the Council for taking on board so many of the amendments Parliament sought to bring forward after first reading. To be parochial, I wish to thank the Irish Permanent Representation for their tremendous work. A number of those colleagues, who are sitting on the far side of this House, are a credit to Ireland and their to department for all the work they have done on this.
There are one or two points of concern. Some of them have been dealt with, but I would like to re-emphasise them. The issue of taxation is an issue for Member States alone. It is not an issue that we should link with other matters because that merely diverts attention away from where the real work can be done. I agree with the rapporteur that this report is not about harmonisation; it is about better coordination of the social security systems in Member States.
This regulation represents a huge change. Where previous regulations applied only to those who were economically active, this one applies to all benefit holders. It also constitutes an improvement as regards strengthening the equal treatment of all EU nationals.
There remains the issue of the 'empty Annexes'. We insist that the Commission and Council come forward in the near future with a proposal concerning the implemented regulation to ensure that the legitimate and genuine concerns raised by my colleagues – and in particular by Mrs Oomen-Ruijten – are taken on board and dealt with. Mrs Oomen-Ruijten brought forward issues that relate not to abstract numbers or abstract individuals, but to real people who encounter this kind of discrimination every day. It is now up to the Commission and Council, on the basis of the good faith we will show tomorrow, to keep their part of the bargain and bring forward a proposal in this regard. They must be as good as their word and ensure that those empty Annexes are filled."@en1
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