Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-039"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20041118.6.4-039"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, today a majority of Liberals and Democrats will vote for Mr Barrosso's Commission. Some of our Members will not. There is work to be done and we feel on balance, Mr Barrosso, that your Commission is now ready to do it.
My Group listened to your closing remarks in the debate last night with some concern. Frankly, we listened with concern about your ability to understand this House. I was surprised to hear you say that a political group had been given a veto over the movement of a Commissioner, because we all know that is a privilege normally reserved for national capitals. I was surprised to hear you suggest that a political group in this House had tied your hands, because I thought they had already been tied in Rome, in Budapest, in The Hague!
If the group you referred to was mine, I am not aware of it issuing any statements insisting on any of the Commissioners being kept in their post. Indeed, I have said publicly that you must have the freedom to make your own decisions on the distribution of portfolios for your new team. We want you to have that freedom.
You blamed the House for the lack of freedom to manoeuvre when, in fact, we have worked with you to build this compromise and when not one of us in this Parliament faces the European government that we might have chosen for ourselves.
The approval process for the Commission does not end here. This House is not in the business of granting tenure. Today you get your driving licence. Tomorrow we start on the rules of the road.
We want a new framework agreement because without the ability to scrutinise your Commission effectively, we cannot do our job properly. Parliamentary oversight without some possibility of sanction is paper tiger democracy and we want something better. A month ago we insisted on something better. The motion for a resolution tabled today makes it clear that we do not take lightly the issues of propriety or competence or conflict of interest for any Commissioner in any portfolio. Where concerns exist, this Parliament will be watching. Liberals and Democrats will be watching.
I welcome your willingness to renew the framework agreement on stronger terms. We do not want to tie your hands or hold you hostage. Every power that Parliament gains carries with it a burden of responsibility and that is something we must shoulder along with you and your college. But good European government means accountable European government as you have said yourself.
Mr President-elect, Liberals and Democrats offer you a licence to get to work. You will have our constructive partnership, but we do not have the gift of authority. That is something that you and your Commissioners will have to earn: every day, every month, brick by brick, in this stronger, closer European Union."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples