Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-01-18-Speech-3-386"
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"en.20060118.24.3-386"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, we too welcome Mr Tannock's report, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Laschet quite particularly for his previous work.
An important point in this report is undoubtedly point 4, which once again states that it must be ensured that there are stimuli for democratic reform and that economic development is promoted. The EU must pay closer attention than in the past to ensuring that the democracy clauses in our agreements with third countries are taken seriously, and that they have consequences – both positive and negative. The report refers in this connection to an effective monitoring mechanism. It would be a major step forward if we could establish the Fundamental Rights Agency that we are going to discuss here on another occasion, as it would give us an instrument with which we could effectively assess the situation in the partner countries.
However, it is also the case that the bilateral approach that the European neighbourhood policy has been following since 2003, which we expressly support, can do justice to the variety of countries. We must not forget, though, that there is another approach: the Barcelona Process with its regional approach. We would be well advised to treat them as complementary and – in order to forge a homogeneous policy for the European Union – to combine the strengths of both approaches.
I would also like to refer particularly to the field of migration policy, which unfortunately currently plays no part in the Barcelona Process. We would be well advised to discuss this matter with the southern Mediterranean countries. We all remember the terrible images from Ceuta and Melilla, which affected us in the European Union. We obviously need to discuss issues of borders, readmission agreements and asylum procedures. At the same time, though, we also need to talk about the humane treatment of refugees and to improve the overall situation in these countries. I am delighted that the European Union is strengthening its activities regarding education. We must do a lot more in this field. I am thinking in particular of the young people in the countries to the south of the Mediterranean, who must be given a chance for future participation in their countries. Only if young people have opportunities in their own countries will they stay there and use their knowledge to improve the welfare and democratic organisation of their societies.
Finally, I would like to remind you of the situation in Egypt. We are all aware of the detention of the opposition politician Aiman Nur, and I think that I speak for all of us when I express our solidarity with him, and with everybody else campaigning for democracy and human rights there, at times under difficult conditions."@en1
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