Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-08-Speech-1-135"
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"en.20100208.15.1-135"2
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"You say you mean to remain vigilant, but I think that is rather insufficient. We believe that the position of General Motors in Europe is unacceptable.
Commissioner, let us begin with the automobile sector, as this is and remains our most important industry. It is a real pacesetter for economic renewal, and has the potential to be a powerful force for employment.
General Motors is counting on securing State aid from several national and regional governments in the European Union, one of the intended purposes of which is to cover the social costs of the closure of the Antwerp plant to which you refer. This kind of thing is unacceptable, Commissioner: unacceptable both to the workers and to Europe.
In our opinion, this dossier is a very important test for you, a very important test of the credibility of the European Commission. We cannot allow such things, as this would set a huge precedent for other dossiers in future. Commissioner, this is an example of the protectionism that keeps rearing its ugly head, and it is unacceptable. It undermines the foundations of the EU and, moreover, it is always the smaller countries who have to suffer, as this case has proven once again.
In the last few months, the EU governments have let themselves be divided like altar boys, as it were, by the Americans of General Motors, and it is clear that this cannot be repeated. It can be prevented only by means of a common European approach.
In today’s German press, your colleague, Neelie Kroes, the Commissioner for Competition, says that State aid in the automobile sector is possible only if this aid is channelled towards the development of innovative and environmentally friendly products. We agree with this, but it is much better that such things be coordinated at European level than, as is currently happening, that they be the subject of separate negotiations between the various European countries and General Motors, as this is a road to nowhere.
Besides, making a single, joint European offer to General Motors would put us in a much stronger position, of course, and also enable us to demand guarantees in the social field – which must surely be close to your heart – and the employment field. After all, why should it not be possible to open up new prospects for the workers at the relevant Opel plant in Antwerp, and naturally also for the workers at the other Opel plants in Europe who have been affected?
It is not yet too late for this, Commissioner Špidla. We believe that, in the case of such cross-border restructuring operations, the European Commission itself must take the bull by the horns and set to work on a proactive policy instead of just watching and waiting. What does this mean in specific terms? It means launching a common strategy, taking much more dynamic action and, primarily, making much more vigorous use of all the European instruments at our disposal and combining them, instead of acting in disarray as we are doing at present.
In my opinion, we have been far too soft in our action on this dossier up to now. The European Commission stood by as General Motors triumphed. This has to change, in the interests of the workers, as they are the ones to suffer from the current lack of European political will.
My second point is just as important, Commissioner. Today, the European Ministers for Industry are meeting in Spain to launch a European action plan for the automobile sector. I believe we have an urgent need for this. You, the European Commission, must bring together the major industry actors to ensure that our automobile sector, too, does not become swamped with Chinese products in the near future. This coming Thursday, the Heads of State or Government of the European Union are meeting for an extraordinary European summit in Brussels at the instigation and on the invitation of our President Herman Van Rompuy. There is just one item on the agenda: the enhancement of European economic cooperation."@en1
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