Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-03-12-Speech-3-010"
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"en.20080312.3.3-010"2
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"Mr President, Mr President-in-Office, Mr President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, the European Council’s spring priority will be to encourage European growth and relaunch the Lisbon Strategy for 2008-2010.
Our group feels it is of the utmost importance to give the EU every chance in the light of globalisation, and to reform it as the European Commission has proposed most energetically since 2005 under President José Manuel Barroso. This strategy is the best tool for dealing with the challenges facing us: globalisation, population and climate change.
We have a dual message here: pursuing the reforms undertaken, but also making the Lisbon Strategy more effective. Globalisation is an opportunity for Europe, but we will never accept unbridled free trade. That is the first challenge. We must protect the interests of the most vulnerable and promote our own social model. It is not time to change of direction, but rather to increase our efforts along the route already marked out. The Lisbon Strategy proposes an adapted response to each challenge.
In the face of competition from emerging nations, our future lies in research and innovation, support for entrepreneurs, lifelong training and reform of the job market. Europe can only be competitive if its products have added value in terms of quality and innovation. That is why I am calling for investment in research and innovation by the Member States on the largest possible scale.
Nor will growth and jobs emerge from development of SMEs. We must help them secure contracts and create jobs by reducing the administrative burden. Drawing up a Small Business Act on a European scale represents a step in the right direction. Education and training must be adapted to the needs of the economy. We can only maintain a competitive edge if our workforce has the right training. Teaching at schools and universities and continuous training must be reviewed, and certainly enhanced. In this respect we welcome the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013. Wide-ranging reforms are also required for the job market, which must be more mobile, more flexible and also more secure. Businesses must be able to adapt to market requirements. Employees must be able to take advantage of retraining and adaptation opportunities.
The second challenge for Europe concerns its population. The ageing of the population is set to create a shortage of labour and pressure on social security systems. There must be better stimulation of the internal workforce, and better flexibility and adaptability for all generations to make it easier for them to reconcile their professional and family lives. We must also review our immigration policy, which must be European, and attract skills and know-how. The blue card proposal must be developed. We must also halt the brain drain. Our investment in education will have been in vain if researchers go abroad for better pay and working conditions.
The third and final challenge is climate change. We must implement a political system in line with a viable environment-friendly economy, and this means meeting the target of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Quite apart from the ecological advantages, this will also stand us in good stead for clean-technology markets. This is not insignificant. We must, however, set an example and our partners must do the same. A green policy must be accompanied by an external trade policy, which is not protectionist, but firm.
Ladies and gentlemen, we will only retain our values and our model of society if we have the courage to reform our society and tell our fellow citizens the truth. We can only make social progress if growth plays a part. Growth in turn can only play a part if we provide the means for it to do so. Just this once I wish to thank the President of the Commission, Vice-President Verheugen and all the Commissioners for their work. My thanks, ladies and gentlemen, may be considered in the context of a stable: the Barroso stable. A ration of oats compensates a job well done, but oats also provide energy for all the work that remains."@en1
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