Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-11-13-Speech-2-246"
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"en.20071113.29.2-246"2
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Mr President, Mr Vice-President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that there is total consensus in this House that the imminent enlargement is not only historic but also highly symbolic. However, this consensus is not only institutional but, much more importantly, it is also social as it is what our citizens rightly want. It is right that the EU’s bodies should listen to its citizens and respond in timely fashion to their aspirations. This is what we have done.
I am very grateful for the positive comments which have highly praised the work carried out not only by the Portuguese Presidency but also by all those who contributed at just the right time so that the many pieces of this complex puzzle could be readied and slotted together just as they should. Just one year ago we were facing a very different situation and it is not only a technological feat, which is in itself very important, but also a political feat that our institutions have achieved for our citizens, which reinforces the credibility of these institutions.
Secondly, I must stress that the new external borders are a great Christmas present for our citizens and will be so for many Christmases to come. However, they also provide a new way of managing external relations as we do not want to create a second generation Iron Curtain for our neighbours. What we have is the start of an electronic border, vigorous in its interception of criminals and flexible, like everything electronic, in allowing citizens in good faith to pass rapidly through, whoever they may be and wherever they may be coming from. This is the model that Europe is presenting to the world and this is the commitment to which we are bound.
Thirdly, this work and this achievement are based on meticulous preparation which has left the partner states in the SISone4all project very well provided with equipment and a police preparation logic which we must link with new measures, such as the reinforcement of Frontex recently announced by the Commission and our new model of integrated border management. This is therefore one more piece in a complex policy that must be pursued and developed.
Fourthly, I should like to underline that one of the secrets to the success of this project is being able to duly combine security and freedom, freedom of movement, much more freedom of movement, with appropriate data protection. The two things are inseparable. This is the way forward for Europe and it is fortunately also an important point of consensus between the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. There is no other way forward, only this one.
This rule is valid for SISone4all and will also be valid for SIS II, for the second generation Schengen Information System. This is obvious in the legislation approved with the seal of the European Parliament and is apparent from the suggestions made in the report prepared by Mr Coelho.
I must also say that this applies to the issue of managing confidentiality and transparency. Confidentiality and transparency can be balanced and an optimum balance must be achieved so that all decision-makers have the necessary information to make decisions in full knowledge of the facts. This has been achieved in this process and is surely a point which bodes well for future successes in an excellent relationship between the Commission and the Council on this essential point.
Finally, I must also once again stress the importance of the method that we have chosen. We have not run away from bad news or problems. In 2006 we realised that there was a serious problem and we took note of this serious problem. We did not adopt a ‘blame-shame’ attitude but instead tried to find positive solutions to the problems by ensuring exemplary cooperation among the institutions. I have no criticisms to make of the Commission’s behaviour throughout the process and I consider that the Commission should have no criticisms to make of the Council’s behaviour, as managed by the previous German, current Portuguese and future Slovenian Presidencies and other future presidencies. It is this kind of cooperation that I consider necessary to solve European problems.
To conclude, we must relish the victory and prepare for the future. I should therefore like to invite the representatives of this House to attend the commemoration, which will be held on 21 and 22 November. This will be a symbolic journey through sites that were previously symbols of closure and that will, from 21 December, be symbols of the freedom that is the air and oxygen breathing life and happiness into Europe."@en1
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