Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-11-28-Speech-3-099"
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"en.20071128.16.3-099"2
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".
Mr President, Prime Minister, you made a fine speech. In many respects it was a humanist speech which I am willing to accept as an ideal for the Europe of the future. However, we must admit that, for the current reality of Europeans to resemble the vision you have just described, many changes must be made to the procedures and structures of the European Union.
You say that our Europe is a social Europe. Bravo! It is not, however, pessimistic to say that in the main this social Europe has yet to be built. The current framework of European social policy is, according to the Treaties, an open market economy with free competition. This is a framework that naturally encourages competition between social models and naturally tends to diminish our entitlements in the name of competitiveness. This is a framework that naturally pushes down the cost of manpower, encourages job insecurity and undermines social rights.
The social issue is undoubtedly the main reason for our citizens’ distrust of European institutions. The President of the European Central Bank, for instance, saw this for himself when he spoke recently at the European Trade Union Confederation Conference, putting forward his theory, the official EU theory, on wage moderation in the name of competitive prices. He encountered unanimous opposition. I have already said that the German Finance Minister mentioned the risk of a crisis of legitimacy in the European social and economic model. Let us, therefore, take a look at these aspects, precisely to give some credibility to your vision of the future.
You also mentioned relations with Africa and the need to provide a response to their calls for justice. You are right. However, in that case, for instance, we must come back to the draft economic partnership agreement which has been rejected by all our African partners because they feel sure – and I think they are right – that development of human capacities and free trade are not a good mix.
To end, Prime Minister, I wish to thank you for reminding us of what I feel to be Europe’s ultimate objectives, and if we still cannot agree as to our view of the present, let us at least agree as to the future prospects."@en1
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