Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-03-09-Speech-3-026"
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"en.20050309.3.3-026"2
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"Mr President, five years after the launch of the Lisbon Strategy it is clear that we need to give it a fresh start. This new start should not, however, follow the line of the Commission proposal. I am not critical about what is contained in the proposal, but rather what is not in the proposal. Separating economic growth from social and environmental development must be a mistake since these three areas are linked.
When President Barroso presented the mid-term review in this Parliament more than a month ago he used the metaphor of having three children and having to pay most attention to the sick one. The other two, in this case environmental and social development, will have to await their turn for President Barroso’s attention. My conclusion is the opposite. To cure the EU economy we need the health of the whole family.
Investment in environmental technology leads to more jobs, boosts innovation and creates sustainable growth. When the forestry and pulp industry in the Nordic countries made a major shift towards cleaner green technology, the companies concerned became even more competitive on the international market. New technologies for saving energy are another example of business interests being in tune with environmental concerns.
There is a saying that competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people. This is definitely true of business, and it is important to create an internal market that is a level playing field. We need to create a competitive and sustainable economy in Europe; this also means investing in research and development.
The Heads of State must take the situation seriously. We can set up ambitious goals, but if we lack the necessary political leadership we will never reach them. In Europe we look at the situation in the US and wonder why it has double the growth that we have. The US wonders why China has twice the growth it has.
The EU has a great potential to be the world’s leading knowledge-based economy. The proposals from the Commission are good, but to reduce the Lisbon Strategy only to a matter of economic growth would be to take steps in the wrong direction while time is running out.
The major groups have negotiated this resolution and the clear message is that economic growth, social cohesion and environmental development have to be seen as a whole. We demand the same from the Council and the Commission.
I want to thank my fellow negotiators because it is a major achievement to table this resolution – I almost said revolution! – and to have a large majority in the Chamber."@en1
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