Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-04-20-Speech-2-065"
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"en.20100420.3.2-065"2
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"Mr President, I think there has clearly been agreement that first of all, we need to focus on nature. Mr Cramer said this quite clearly, and I agree with him, because this is an important message for all of us. We must also, of course, focus on the European Union, on European action, in response to a crisis that has European importance and which has had an extremely serious impact on millions of citizens of Europe and other countries outside the European Union, as well as on the economies of major European sectors.
It was immediately apparent that the events overtook the action of the Member States, who have decision-making powers to open the airports, and therefore, there was immediate intervention from the European Union. I repeat, Mr Speroni, Mrs Ferreira, the action was immediate. On Friday, it became apparent that a serious situation was setting in. As soon as this became apparent, the European Commission, along with the Spanish Presidency of the Council and Eurocontrol, immediately set to work, and on Sunday – as Mr Kallas said earlier – there was a public appearance by the Commission and the Presidency – Mr Kallas and myself – explaining the situation and setting out what was going to be done. The action to be taken was yesterday’s meeting of Eurocontrol and the decision of the extraordinary Council meeting, called by the Spanish Government and chaired by the Spanish Minister for Public Works, which took place yesterday.
Therefore, action was taken. Action was taken in order for this to lead to a decision, to action, to an approach, a focus that was European in nature. Today, yesterday’s decision by the extraordinary Council of Ministers is being implemented. This morning, at 08.00, Eurocontrol defined four zones with an extended safety perimeter in which there can be no flights, and other areas in which there can be flights, provided that there are agreements and coordination among the Member States. Airspace is therefore gradually being opened up, but this will naturally depend on the conditions and on nature. Naturally, it will depend on these things, but the decision taken yesterday is already in practice today, and this will, of course, always be done on the basis of the precautionary principle and the need to ensure safety.
I believe that what was immediately seen is that in this case, the European approach meant that a much more balanced decision could be adopted. The European approach meant that various factors could be taken into account that should always be taken into account when something extraordinary happens such as what we are going through at the moment. Firstly, it means that the risk assessment model is much more precise, much more accurate. Mr Sterckx, in response to what you said about this, I want to say that Eurocontrol is taking into account the decisions made by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in London, but it is also going to take into account the test flights, the information from the national authorities, the information from the aeroplane manufacturers, and the information from the European Aviation Safety Agency in Cologne, which I agree needs to be strengthened. All of this will be taken into account in order to draw up a more accurate map, as is happening now, at this moment, through the technical proposal being produced by Eurocontrol, based on scientific data.
The European approach means that safety, which is an essential, fundamental principle, above all other principles, can be taken into account at the same time, and I therefore agree with those who have said this. It means that the economic consequences can be taken into account, and the Commission has set up a working group – which has also been very well received by you – to present a report next week on aspects relating to the economy. It also means that citizens’ rights and their mobility can be taken into consideration. That is why I am again calling on all the European Union governments to help get people home, to make use of every possible means of communication, and to make a special, extraordinary effort to do so, because that is the main right that citizens have: to go home, to go to wherever they want to go. We are therefore calling for their right to free movement to be respected.
For the future, I believe that this situation opens up a panorama for us for a very thorough debate, and the European Parliament is the right place for that debate to take place. This debate must look at the problem of passengers’ rights under these exceptional circumstances, and the need for an emergency plan, which also requires transparency – as Mrs Bilbao said – in the European Union’s actions, so that there can be structural reforms, which means strengthening the trans-European rail networks in Europe. This is becoming an absolutely strategic objective, which, all things considered, is simply the structuring of Europe, because historically, the structuring of the modern state was done on the basis of developing communications, roads, railways, and also maritime connections. In the future, the structuring of Europe, the Europe of the 21st century, will not be completed if it is not done through the infrastructures of communication, in this case, essentially through the railways.
The two things go hand in hand, and developing these transport infrastructures is a strongly political, symbolic and real issue, which is becoming a central objective for 21st century Europe. In this respect I believe that this was exactly the right place and time for Mr Swoboda, Mr Schulz and Mrs Álvarez and for other speakers to mention these reforms, because this is undoubtedly an element for the future that the European Union needs to aim towards."@en1
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