Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-07-21-Speech-3-055"
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"en.20040721.2.3-055"2
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"Mr President, during this Netherlands Presidency, all 25 Union partners are for the first time responsible for the success of these six months of cooperation, six crucial first months. As President-in-Office of the Council, Mr Balkenende can, and must, provide considerable impetus in vital areas. In so doing, the Council itself will need to develop and apply new and effective working methods. This is necessary so as to ensure that the progress of the Union of 25 is not at a snail’s pace. In the same spirit, the Council needs to approve the European Parliament’s new statute rather than standing in its way. Democratic transparency is what the public expects from us, and rightly so. I should like to hear from Mr Balkenende how he intends to give the necessary signals in terms of approach and communication. From my own experience as a national member of parliament, I know how capable he is of forceful policy and of perseverance in his policy, even if that is unpopular or even controversial. That is why we can rely on his political vision and his ability to do what is needed. His speech yesterday in Berlin, in which he paid tribute to Count Klaus von Stauffenberg, was another illustration of this. The President-in-Office of the Council was right to make an actual link between the civil and moral courage and conviction of Stauffenberg and his sympathisers and the chance of reconciliation which Europe was given following liberation. It is in the same spirit that we must now also do what is needed following the liberating enlargement to 25 Union partners. What is to be done? Europe must be more visible. Rather than deny that its public image is that of a complex Moloch, it is important to change it in a concrete manner. Europe should, together, dare to address the big questions of this time, which directly affect each citizen. These range from a coherent and humane asylum policy that immediately tackles human trafficking, to a united stand against worldwide terrorism. This requires concrete action and the exchange of information and signals for citizens’ safety, and one clear line must be adopted in tackling criminals and their networks, including in relation to the drugs trade, across the national borders. In the context of credibility, I agree that no fresh requirements should be added in respect of candidate Member States such as Turkey. Instead, we must hold firm to the requirements already laid down in the Copenhagen framework and not yield to any pressure regarding these. If we Christian Democrats want to ensure that the community of values is not a pious platitude but an item on the daily agenda, we must specify what lines common and concrete policies must take. Also in terms of the economy, the document by Mr Kok, our ex-Prime Minister, would be ambiguous; I therefore expect clear proposals of their own from the Council and the Commission and essential action points in order to give the Lisbon agenda a shot in the arm. There is every reason to ask a great deal from this Presidency in those areas. Mr Balkenende has been graced with a huge opportunity and with much energy and decisiveness, and of those to whom much is given, much may be expected. Mr Balkenende knows that, in terms of decisiveness, he can count on the complete confidence and support of MEPs, myself included. We have every confidence in the personal vision, attention and decisiveness of this President-in-Office of the Council, and we wish him every success."@en1
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