Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-02-19-Speech-2-033"
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"en.20080219.5.2-033"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, President-in-Office of the Council, ladies and gentlemen, about a year ago, on 14 February, the European Commission proposed this new package of measures for goods with the aim of injecting fresh impetus into trade in the internal market. The fact that we have managed to bring the package to a conclusion today, in little more than a year, is indicative, I believe, of the very fast and efficient work of the team entrusted with its passage through Parliament. No part was played by the Members up there in the back – on the far right, if I may put it that way – and their contribution left me with the impression that they do not know to this day what the package is all about.
What struck me during the course of this debate was the huge number of obstacles that still exist in the internal market, given that it was back in 1992 when Jacques Delors introduced the single market. It is astonishing to see the real difficulties that face small and medium-sized enterprises when they try to enter the market in other EU Member States. According to the Commission, this package contains measures that will impact on 22 industries with an aggregate annual output in the region of EUR 1 500 billion.
We have managed to ensure that future improvements to the system of market surveillance will be based on uniform criteria, and that is essential. When a market is open, there must also be surveillance mechanisms in place. Dangerous goods can be more easily detected and made safe, and more clearly targeted investigation of fraudulent operations and prosecution of fraudsters can be carried out. As other speakers have said, not only producers but also importers will be held responsible in future. This will not be a dead letter, for there will also be a liability provision with penalties for non-compliance.
This system of market surveillance is also a major gain for players who already abide by the rules, because it considerably improves the means of detecting the bad eggs among manufacturers and importers. I was astonished to learn that customs authorities and market-surveillance bodies have hitherto known next to nothing of each other’s activities. This secrecy and the supposed protection of corporate interests will be stopped here and now.
In connection with the CE mark, I am pleased that Parliament has gone its own way. We did not accede to the hasty calls from consumer organisations seeking the abolition of the CE mark or to the Commission’s call for unwarranted upgrading. These were not the right paths to choose. I believe we have now opted for the best way ahead.
In the face of opposition from some quarters, Parliament also secured the preservation of national safety marks – not only the German one but others too – until such time as we find the ideal alternative.
As a Social Democrat I am also proud that one particular principle is enshrined not only in our resolution but also in the Regulation itself. The formula in question was somewhat contentious until the very last minute, but we succeeded in laying down that accreditation bodies must not compete with each other and must keep their public mission sacrosanct, as it were. I believe this was the consensus view too. What was important to all of us was the need for greater transparency.
It is astonishing to note how little cooperation still takes place, and I believe this package will pave the way for better cooperation among public authorities too.
Let me conclude with a word on the package as a whole. It represents a gain for Europe’s businesses as well as its people. Many things will be easier, many processes will be less bureaucratic – and thus less costly, of course – and yet we are still creating a higher level of safety for consumers. To borrow an expression from the business world, this can rightly be termed a win-win situation."@en1
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