Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-25-Speech-3-106"
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"en.20050525.14.3-106"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would first of all like to offer my sincere thanks to the rapporteur, Mrs Gál.
It is clear that Parliament must have an important role. I agree, in fact, that it should participate in the agency’s governing body – this is a symbolic aspect, but also an important one. I also agree that Parliament should have its say in appointing the agency’s director, but we obviously have to resolve any strictly legal issues, which do exist and which we must take into consideration. They are issues concerning one or other legal basis, according to the remit that we wish to grant to it.
Beyond the choice of legal basis, which will correspond to the remit assigned to the agency, I can confirm once again the political commitment of the Commission to take full account of Parliament’s proposals, amendments and guidelines, irrespective of the legal basis selected.
There are clearly many possibilities: the possibility of a formal codecision process, which would be restricted, however, as many of you already know from a legal analysis, to only certain fundamental rights, or else a different procedure.
Even if this different procedure were finally adopted, the political solution would not change in my opinion, that is to say, that it would remain the duty of the Commission to defend the proposals of this House and to take them before the Council. Its duty would be to defend them in substance, even if the legal basis were to be different. I therefore confirm this commitment, by once again thanking the rapporteur for her report.
Both myself and the Commission are in agreement with the outlook, the spirit and the aims of the report, which have just been mentioned.
Within the sphere of justice, security and freedom, the Commission has centred its operations on the promotion and protection of people’s fundamental rights.
Following the decision made by President Barroso before this House, we formed a group of Commissioners who are precisely responsible for coordinating the Commission’s policies aimed at promoting and protecting fundamental rights.
My proposal to the Commission to carry out an impact assessment on each of its proposals ensuring the protection and promotion of fundamental rights has already been adopted. It is a precautionary impact assessment, which allows the Commission to only adopt measures that will enable us to make progress in our attempts to better protect fundamental rights. The request came from Parliament, and I was in full agreement.
Among the 10 priority measures included in the action plan implementing the so
called ‘Hague Programme’ for a European area of freedom, security and justice, which was approved by the Commission on 6 May, I have placed the principle of Europe’s promotion and protection of fundamental rights at the very top. This emphasis clearly demonstrates how, in my opinion, the protection of fundamental rights is a priority that cuts across all of the Union’s policy areas, particularly when, as has been stressed a number of times, including in front of this House, it is a case of balancing citizens’ strong calls for security with respect for people’s fundamental rights.
I entirely agree with the rapporteur’s calls for a European agency equipped with a broad remit, which is able to truly take charge of promoting and protecting all fundamental rights. A broad remit, which would justify a new agency being created.
I too am convinced that there is a need to very clearly state that only a strong and effective agency can justify the conversion of the Vienna Observatory, as decided by the European Council and approved by this House, into a genuine European agency. I would add that this is, however, on the understanding that the agency’s objectives are the protection and promotion of fundamental rights.
On behalf of the Commission, I can state that the report presented today meets with our full approval."@en1
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