Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-11-25-Speech-3-070"
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"en.20091125.6.3-070"2
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"Mr President, on this same day that we are celebrating the fact that the next Commission will apparently have at least nine women – and I also see that as a victory for all of us who have actively fought for this – we hear from news reports this morning that, in France alone, 156 women were killed last year by domestic violence. As this is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, this is something that should make us stop and think and, hopefully, also act in the future at European level, as well as at international level. Perhaps we should also bring this up in different meetings during the rest of today.
This is an important step forward. It also says a lot about the procedure from now on, which should be more open when we appoint Commissioners. I hope that, in the future, Member States and governments will nominate both a man and a woman. I think that is an excellent idea.
Let me also comment on the appointments of a new High Representative and a new Council President. Mrs Cathy Ashton was nominated to the Commission with the full confidence of the UK Government. She was actually voted for here in the Parliament a year ago with a very large majority – with 538 votes, if I am correct. As we have heard from several of you, she has been working very closely with Parliament and has always looked for Parliament's involvement on different issues. She was appointed unanimously by 27 Heads of State or Government, so I think she has all the legitimacy to fulfil her job and to gain the respect of the European Union’s foreign partners. I liked the metaphor that was presented here that instead of having somebody who would stop the traffic, or mean red traffic lights, you would have a smooth operator, somebody that would actually help the traffic flow or decisions to be made in a democratic and good way in the European Union. I have got to know her as a very good colleague, and I would say that she is also a convinced European. That is indeed an important starting point.
We have already had good comments in the debate here. I think it has been a fruitful and constructive discussion, and thanks for all your contributions. May I also comment on the direct question by Göran Färm about the budget review. I can only repeat what the Commission President has already told you, that this will be handed over to the new Commission. This is firstly because the new Lisbon Treaty will contain provisions that require a new institutional set-up, so it will also have a good basis for decisions on the budget. Secondly, the new Commission will have to decide on the political priorities and then put its money where its mouth is in order to actually have the budget to accompany the political priorities. I would say that is an important innovation and an opportunity for the next Commission. It will also be handed over to Cecilia Malmström with warm hands from all of us. What the Commission can say is that a proposal for the budget review will come early next year and will be the immediate task for the next Commission.
I would just like to comment on one thing concerning the Stockholm Programme. The adoption of the Stockholm Programme coincides with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, where the European Parliament will have a crucial role in the development of these policies. This will again increase the democratic legitimacy of the important decisions to be taken on justice and home affairs issues. This is good news for European citizens and also for all EU institutions.
On climate change, I can hear that there is a common view here on the active role that the European Union should play in Copenhagen and from now on.
So, again, thank you very much for the debate. With the new Lisbon Treaty, we now have a text that will help us deal with all the important issues that have been raised here – climate change, fighting the financial crisis and its social and other effects – and, of course, also make sure that we have a democratic European Union in the future."@en1
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