Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-03-Speech-1-141"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2006-04-03"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Openness of meetings of the Council when acting in its legislative capacity - Access to the institutions documents - (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20060403.12.1-141"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2006-04-03-Speech-1-1422
lpv:speaker	lp:Chris Davies2
lpv:spoken text	". Mr President, there is widespread public suspicion of the European decision-making process, and no wonder when ministers meet to make laws behind closed doors. It does not have to be like that. We may never make the European Union perfect, but we can at least make it better. The Ombudsman has given us great moral authority and has added moral authority to the cross-party campaign that exists in this House, which has commanded an astonishing degree of support. In the case of my own country, it has managed to get pro-European Liberals and anti-European United Kingdom Independence Party members united on a platform together in common cause – a unique event. There is a simple principle behind this: laws should be made in the open. Ministers should voice their opinions, do so honestly and do so in public, so that citizens can know what they are doing and national parliaments can hold them to account. In signing the Constitutional Treaty, every Head of Government committed himself to that principle: the Council should meet in public when debating legislative acts. But it does not require Treaty change, it just requires an alteration in the Council’s rules of procedure: not even one of 25 votes, just 13 votes – a simple majority – can bring about that quite fundamental change and the introduction of that principle. The British Presidency came out with some warm words but, at the end of the day, fudged it. ( No!) Well, they have not changed the rules of procedure, Michael, that is the reality. The Austrian Presidency now has the opportunity to make the difference. When I put the question to the Austrian Foreign Minister in January, she said: well, we will do what we can, but we are conscious of the delicacy of the matter. Why is it delicate? This is about openness and transparency, a fundamental European principle to which every Head of Government has committed himself. I look forward to the Austrian Presidency taking the initiative now and putting it to a vote. If the reality is that some Member States – France for example – which are behind the scenes trying to block this initiative, then let them be named and shamed and let them answer to their people and to the people of Europe."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand (2004-09-15--2007-03-13)3 unknown; Liberal Democrat Party (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member_of_the_bureau; ALDE (2004-07-20--2007-02-26)3 substitute; PECH (2004-09-03--2007-01-14)3 substitute; CONT (2004-07-22--2007-01-14)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (2004-09-15--2007-03-13)3 member; ENVI (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"(Applause)"1 "Chris Davies,"1 "Interjection from Mr Cashman:"1 "on behalf of the ALDE Group"1

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