Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-17-Speech-3-236"
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"en.20041117.9.3-236"2
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"Madam President, I would like to thank Mr Barroso for listening to the European Parliament. The recent contentious exchange of views between Parliament and the Commission has done three things for the European Union. First of all it has reaffirmed the reality that the European Union is fundamentally a political, and not a bureaucratic, project.
Secondly, it has strengthened the decision-making capacity of the EU by improving interinstitutional relations. Finally and most importantly it has enhanced the democratic legitimacy of the EU by engaging our citizens in a genuine European debate through the forum of the European Parliament.
I personally now feel more confident in supporting a stronger college, reinforced by astute adjustments that have been made in some portfolios. If only you could have gone further, Mr Barroso, but you have killed two birds with one stone in swapping the portfolios of the Hungarian and Latvian Commissioners. In addition, I welcome Mr Piebalgs to the energy brief as a promising and able candidate untainted by the spectre of alleged impropriety, unlike his country's original nominee.
Mr Kovács, who displayed incompetence and complete disdain for the parliamentary process during the first round of committee hearings, has inspired slightly more confidence in the role of taxation Commissioner-designate. While I disagree with his political views, I am personally reassured by his statement to the effect that corporate tax harmonisation will remain a Member State competence.
Although I am in no doubt about her professional competence – and I underline that – I would like to reassert my concerns in relation to a range of conflicts of interest that may attach to Mrs Kroes as a direct result of her successful corporate career to date. Perhaps, Mr Barroso, it is a case of the right woman in the wrong job this time round, but I wish her well.
On the whole I endorse your Commission as representative of the views of the democratically-elected Parliament. While we will have just one vote for or against the entire Commission, I would ask you, Mr Barroso, to put clearly on the record today your full support for the principle of the individual responsibility of each of the Commissioners. It would have been preferable not to leave your changes to the eleventh hour, but the outcome of the whole episode is that cooperation between Parliament, the Commission and the Council has been strengthened. This Parliament has emerged as a much stronger forum, and as one not to be treated lightly. We have given you a clear message. We are not rubber stamps. I wish you and your college well."@en1
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