Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-09-14-Speech-2-152"
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"en.20040914.10.2-152"2
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"Madam President, I am still a fully-fledged Commissioner and I intend to act as such until my last day in the job. It does not matter to me that I am only in the job for another month and a half; I am going to present what I believe I must present if it is ready for presentation. I do not intend to fail to present anything and leave outstanding issues for my successor just because I am leaving.
I have been employed, and this Parliament has put its trust in me, until 1 November. And I intend to carry out my duties fully until 1 November.
Secondly, if anybody has declared war, it is certain sectors. I am not declaring war on anybody. Quite the opposite, what I have been holding over all these years has been a series of debates. In fact, there has been a slight mistake: my last meeting was in Rotterdam, in a port city, and I met there with all the representatives of the port unions. It is true that in a very civilised and correct manner I was shown certain placards and banners asking me to go away and other less friendly things, I know. We were, however, discussing all the issues. I am not, moreover, waging a war on anybody whatsoever. All I am doing is offering clear support for maritime transport and furthermore I am talking about maritime cabotage. Are we able to ensure that the lorry I referred to or the trailer in other types of transport can move around as freely as possible and at the least cost in this form of transport and transfer in ports, with costs that are truly justified and not artificial such as, for example, the one to which I have referred? I could also point to the case of the captain who sails the same route once or twice per week and enters the same port once or twice per week: does he not know the problems involved in bringing the ship – his ship – into that port as well as any pilot who has been doing so for a while? These are the issues we must deal with and if we are to talk about promoting maritime traffic, we must bear in mind that this must be incorporated.
I am not against anybody, but rather I am in favour of certain things: in favour of port activity, of wealth in ports, of the development of port cities and areas and in favour of the European economy, competitiveness and living conditions.
Finally, many of the elements of the proposal we will present will be restricted to cabotage. It is not a question of a captain of a ship suddenly entering any old port without a pilot. That would make no sense from the point of view of safety. Rather we are talking about a captain who enters a port each week, who knows the port and who furthermore has authorisation, granted by the port authority itself, guaranteeing that he has the appropriate qualifications, knowledge and skills.
I am told we can continue to talk. We can always carry on talking. If I were to suddenly come up with some legislation without having spoken to anybody, then I would understand your concern. I have, however, been a Commissioner for five years and I have spent these five years talking to the port sectors on various occasions. And not just me, but also the Commission’s services have spent seven years since the Green Paper was approved, and beforehand during its preparation, speaking to the various bosses, players and protagonists in the European ports. So there have certainly been consultations and talks.
I am going to earn my salary up until the last day and respond to the trust which you, this Parliament and the Council, have placed in me, and that means doing my job, which consists amongst other things of presenting this proposal for a Directive, if it is ready."@en1
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