Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-10-26-Speech-3-283"
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"en.20051026.18.3-283"2
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".
Let me address both of those points in turn.
Firstly, although it might be convenient to the honourable Member's question for the United Kingdom to have been isolated in a minority of one at the June European Council, I am afraid that simply was not what happened. I know because I was there. Five Member States were unable to accept the Luxembourg Presidency proposals. From a British point of view, we were very clear that there were specific reasons why we were unable to accept that. However, it would be inappropriate for me to narrate or rehearse the arguments that were advanced from the British seat in June, given my responsibilities today to answer on behalf of the Presidency.
In relation to the general issue of agriculture, again, our Prime Minister addressed that in the course of his remarks today, namely that we believe it is necessary to have a pathway forward, in terms of reform, that recognises the kind of future challenges that the European Union will face in the course of the coming Financial Perspective.
Beyond that, I can simply reiterate the point with which I began my answer, which is to say that, as our own Prime Minister has made clear in the course of his remarks to this Parliament today, we are earnest in our endeavour to try and reach agreement on the future Financial Perspective, not simply because it would be somehow judged to be a success for the British Presidency or in the interests of one Member State, but because it would be in the interests of all Member States of the European Union to have a budget that reflects the modern priorities of the Union in an era of globalisation. There are particular demands on the Presidency from the A10 countries – the new accession countries – which have articulated repeatedly to us their clear desire for certainty in terms of prospective funds being available to them in the future. We have listened carefully to those points of view, consistent with our responsibilities as President. Given the difficulties of the June European Council, we did not immediately table proposals but rather sought to listen to the views that have been expressed in other Member States. We recognise that the political context in which discussions on future financing should take place would be better served by having had a prior conversation about the future direction of Europe, which is why we have organised the informal Heads of Government meeting tomorrow. After that meeting at Hampton Court tomorrow, we will then seek to make practical and real progress in relation to the challenges that we all recognise."@en1
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