Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-04-23-Speech-3-056"
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"en.20080423.3.3-056"2
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"Mr President, when it comes to the Visa Waiver Programme, the statements are quite honestly not reassuring and a few enquiries had already confirmed that assumption. Earlier versions of the Commission mandate have been further cut down. In short, a poor result. In any event six Member States, and possibly now Malta as well, have signed memoranda of understanding with the Americans. The implementing provisions are not yet known and so the lines of the national policy are not at all clear.
I have the following question about this, together with the meagre mandate for the Commission: why do Member States really belong to the European Union? Is there still such a thing as Community spirit? We can only stand up to the Americans if the 27 Member States act in the same way. We, as a Union, need to send a strong signal to the other side of the Atlantic. We must have the courage to take advantage of our strong negotiating position. With all due respect, I find the behaviour of some Member States on this point unacceptable. The argument that the Commission has made too little progress in the last few years for the Member States concerned sounds all very well, but it is disproportionate when it comes to the behaviour that has been demonstrated. It is high time to act for ourselves and not just to leave it to the United States. This way, the EU is frankly making itself completely ridiculous."@en1
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