Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-02-13-Speech-2-106"
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".
Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, each generation has a duty and responsibility to do its bit for progress. Ours too is facing a challenge, namely that of globalisation. We are living in a world that is changing fast and is opening up. In the European Union, we need to face up to worldwide, sometimes aggressive, competition with an ageing population and against the backdrop of global warming.
This competition is becoming more cut-throat not only on the supply side of our market, but also on the demand side of the market of raw materials and energy. We could ignore it, we could passively submit to it, or we could prepare for it. If, however, we want to give today’s children any prospect of a quality life and a good job, then there is only one answer: to ensure that we are competitive. Being competitive does not mean yielding blindly to the pressures of globalisation. It does mean, though, that we must equip ourselves with the right instruments that will guarantee us a future for what is dear to us, namely our European social model and the values on which our way of living and society are founded. In order to be competitive, we need a bold vision, strategy and people, as well as resources. We have the vision. We have the Lisbon Strategy with the partnership for growth and jobs and this is something to which we in the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats have always been 100% committed. We are also enormously grateful that the Barroso Commission is putting in so much effort, as is the German Presidency, with its desire to focus more on the weak areas that need improving and on a serious energy plan.
In the last Commission report, we read that the economic prospects had improved over the last year. Let us seize this momentum to achieve our goals with all the more force, because there is a great deal left to be done, not least by the Member States of which the Commission reports sometimes show in too rosy a light. With the spring summit in mind, we will be voting on a resolution tomorrow. We have been able to verify it against the view of the national MPs, with whom we had a good meeting last week. This resolution also voices our priorities that will be further highlighted by our shadow rapporteur, Mr Lehne. The completion of the internal market, not least for both the consumer and the SME, administrative simplification, a study into the effect of the practice of goldplating, more research and innovation, a renewed approach to energy policy and to fighting climate change, with due attention to energy supply, affordability, less dependence, more renewable energy sources and lower greenhouse gas emissions. These are all measures that need to be taken if we want to achieve our objective of more growth and jobs. For the majority of our group, there is room for nuclear energy as well, even though we fully respect the principle of subsidiarity in this respect.
Lisbon is, of course, more than the sum total I listed so far. What matters most of all is caring about the well-being and dignity of the people and of their position and share in society. This is also why all our attention is focused on training, education, lifelong learning, the fight against exclusion and sound migration policy and indeed, gender equality, for the fact that talented women opt out is also a form of brain drain. As for labour market reform, we are looking forward to the discussion of the Commission document on flex-security.
Since Lisbon is about people, the process must also be supported by people. As long as the European strategy for growth and jobs is seen by the public more as part of the problem than as the way to a solution, there is cause for concern. The involvement of both the people and civil society must increase. In previous major projects, such as Europe '92' at the time and also when the euro was introduced, we were successful thanks to a huge, broad-based communication initiative. We, and certainly the Member States, missed opportunities during the enlargement process. Without a proper communication strategy, Lisbon will not be understood properly, supported or carried out adequately, something that is probably attributable to a lack of political courage. Hence, I would like to make a passionate plea to the three institutions to pledge their funds for this cause and also, if possible, to make some room for this in the important Berlin declaration that is being compiled.
I should like to thank the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteur for the resolution we will be endorsing tomorrow and which we prepared in the working party with the 33 under Mr Daul’s presidency. The resolution turned out to be rather long, but as it is one that enjoys broad support and that is also positive, it allows us to send out a broad message about where we want to take this strategy."@en1
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