Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-02-14-Speech-2-212"
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"en.20060214.26.2-212"2
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"Madam President, right from the moment when this proposal for a Services Directive saw the light of day, the Flemish Christian Democrats were among those who regarded it as extremely controversial. Its scope was too broad for our liking, the drive to deregulate too strong, the devolution of powers to the Member States was not sufficiently respected and the proposal was ambiguous in too many places. All of this resulted in a widespread fear of the impact this directive might have, which has been used and abused and has gradually developed into the very symbol representing the chasm with the public.
At the same time, we have always known that completing the internal market for services is a necessity and can make a real difference to our level of prosperity. If we as Parliament want to shoulder some of the responsibility with regard to the strategy for growth and jobs, a sound Services Directive is our instrument
. The potential for creating 600 000 jobs is not something we can simply ignore.
That is why we have never voted in favour of rejection and have, from the outset, been in favour of its revision, and so far, we have succeeded in our objective. Anyone who has read the texts and placed them in context can testify to that.
With the vote in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, we MEPs have given direction to the debate. We have proven that the proposal can be amended in a way that the objective of cutting out the red-tape and irresponsible obstacles to the free movement is achievable without affecting social protection.
I am very proud of the result which our group, under the direction of Mr Harbour in that Committee, managed to achieve. With the help of the Union for Europe of the Nations Group and the Liberals, we managed to force many of our amendments through. This was unmistakably the basis for further persuasive action and tying up loose ends in the negotiations over the last few weeks.
I would thank all fellow Members, including those of the Social Democratic group, who have contributed, for we have all done our bit to ensure that a sound package is now before us.
We should not now get bogged down by small print. We are bound to hold differing views on certain things. Sensitivities in the parties and in the Member States are different, after all. Instead of looking to the left or right, we should look at the total package that is before us and that will help us a long way in our common search for more growth and jobs.
An overwhelming majority in Thursday’s vote will also help us close a triple gap: the gap between the institutions and the public, the gap that has come about between the old and the new Member States – let us be magnanimous enough to admit this – and also the gap between the theory of the Treaty and the factual obstacles that have hindered the development of the services market far too long.
We are looking forward to the proposals which the Commission has announced, and I hope that we will succeed in our goal on Thursday."@en1
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