Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-15-Speech-3-376"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2006-03-15"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Legal professions and general interest in the functioning of legal systems (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20060315.27.3-376"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2006-03-15-Speech-3-3772
lpv:speaker	lp:Diana Wallis2
lpv:spoken text	". Mr President, as will be clear, most of the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs are very passionate about the legal profession. For many of us, myself included, it was our profession before we came here and, in that sense, we have an interest. Yet however passionate I might have been about my former profession and its independence, I am more passionate about access to justice and legal services in general and how we make those services available to serve the public interest. The public interest in access to justice must, I believe, be our overriding goal and not the protection or convenience of lawyers who may find it more comfortable to continue to provide services in the way they have always done. The profession needs to be independent, but its protectionism should only serve the public interest. It seems to me that, in Europe, we have a wonderful opportunity to look around and see what exactly best serves the public interest. For example, I have always thought that the fee scales in Germany at the lower end work well to ensure that claimants with low value problems can pursue justice. In my own country, this is often a problem because the costs are so high and, where we have some form of fixed fee, the fees are so low that lawyers decline the work. These are delicate balances, but Europe gives us the chance to look at many answers that may be available to these problems and to pick the best for the society we try to serve, and we should not be frightened or protective about looking for the best. I believe that so long as the Commission shares that aim, we should be able to work together."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; IMCO (2004-07-22--2007-01-14)3 member; PETI (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; JURI (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; Committee of Inquiry into the crisis of the Equitable Life Assurance Society (2006-01-19--2007-06-19)3 member; ALDE (2004-07-20--2007-02-26)3 chair; Delegation for relations with Switzerland, Iceland and Norway and to the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee (2004-09-21--2007-09-04)3 unknown; Liberal Democrat Party (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (2004-09-22--2007-09-04)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Diana Wallis,"1 "on behalf of the ALDE Group"1

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