Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-27-Speech-4-029"
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"en.20070927.3.4-029"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by assuring you that I will, of course, convey to my colleague Vladimir Špidla the broadly positive comments that I have heard in relation to his efforts. I believe the appreciation is justified and I will certainly pass it on. I will obviously transmit to him, too, the European Parliament’s comments and its urgent requests, or expectations, with regard to the work that remains to be done.
I should like to make one thing clear at the outset. I certainly do not share – and the Commission does not share – certain views that have been expressed reflecting a tendency towards exclusion, and I am glad to say that they are marginal. Similarly, I feel bound to comment on the claim that there is a risk of creating a state within the Christian state, or within Christian Europe. It goes without saying that I have the fullest respect for the individual citizens who think along such lines, but I feel bound nonetheless – and I do see it as a duty – to remind you quite simply that Europe does not speak with one voice, religiously, philosophically or politically. I believe that stating the obvious like this is sometimes worthwhile.
Mrs Buitenweg and Mrs In ’t Veld rightly pointed to a fundamental problem, namely transposition of the directives into national law. The Commission is fully aware that we need to keep up the pressure on those Member States which have not yet complied with the European legislation. The Commission shares this concern with the bodies that oversee these important matters in the Member States; as you know, of course, we provide firm and willing support to those equality bodies and organisations.
With regard to the new initiative, we are currently assessing its impact: the process of studying its effects on discrimination has already begun. Obviously we need to know the extent of the problem. Consultations are currently in progress with the general public, with NGOs and the social partners, within companies and at the European Parliament. All being well, we will have a report on the impact assessment in January 2008. The next step will be inter-service consultation in March and April 2008. The initiative will be included in the Commission’s 2008 work programme, which is currently under consideration and is to be published in late October or early November. If it is adopted as proposed, the Commission will receive a proposal in June 2008, and the procedure should then take its course.
So there we have it: it goes without saying that our thinking and our analysis are closely akin to that of the Members who spoke in the debate – or at least the majority of them – and I should like, on behalf of the Commission, to congratulate Mrs Buitenweg on her excellent work. I think that what we have seen here is an example of just how crucial Parliament’s role can be in promoting a rights-based Europe that respects its minorities and, indeed, all its citizens."@en1
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